Wellbrooke of Westfield

Nov 19th, 2021

Kind caring people.
Aug 23rd, 2021

Took very good care of my father when he was there for his hospice visits
Mar 14th, 2019

Wellbrooke WAS a wonderful place to entrust your loved ones. It WAS filled with caring staff in the summer of 2019 when we placed my parents there. My mother was admitted in assisted living and it was so great that we moved my father (recovering from a stroke) there to their medical wing. Things were good. Then it started to go downhill. My father requires a special diet and almost without fail, it was incorrect when we visited (we were there 4+ times a week). Supposedly, my father had therapy 3 times a day every day. I never saw it. They said they did therapies in the morning before I was there. I don't believe it and even if it were true, it would be silly to wear a stroke patient out with back to back therapy sessions first thing in the morning. My father's recovery was seriously set back during his time at Wellbrooke. Sometimes he was spending 16 hours a day in his bed and the staff made it out like it was a hassle if we wanted them to get him out of bed. I was actually told once by a nurse that they were understaffed and just wanted to leave him in bed. They were never proactive about toileting. My father often sat in his own filth for hours. Once when I arrived, he was lying naked in his bed with no cover and his door wide open for anyone to see as they walked by. His hands and fingernails were always filthy. It was my regular thing to get there and take him to wash his hands. There was no one there who actually seemed to see him as a person - except for Becky the activities person. Becky is amazing. They need more Beckys. We moved my father to another facility on 10/31/19 and the difference is night and day. Dad has progressed in his recovery in some very meaningful ways. Wellbrooke was happy to let my father just wither away. The new place has truly changed our lives because they actually care about their residents. One of the nurses on my mom's floor at Wellbrooke asked about how my father was doing and said to me, "I know he's doing better there. You can be honest with me, this place is a s***-hole." That, from the mouth of one of Wellbrooke's own nurses. My mother is in assisted living and mostly able to fend for herself. She decided to stay at Wellbrooke until she can be transferred to a home with her sister. Mom's experience has been far better but her needs are much less. That said, there are still issues. I take things reported to me that I don't see personally with a grain of salt. I'll just say there are lots of reports of incorrect medications (she takes 7-10 pills each morning and reports having only 3-4 on some days), reports of staff members "picking" on dementia patients, reports of dismal portions at meal times, reports of the elevator being out and the water being off for hours, etc. Again, I have not seen those things myself. What I have seen myself seems to be a real lack of concern for my mother. She is diabetic and has had issues with her legs getting blisters, ripped skin, sores, etc. They don't seem to have any schedule of when they change bandages. Despite my mom's leg wrappings being so wet that she leaves a trail when she walks, they only change her bandages when she nags them. Even then, she has waited for HOURS to even be acknowledged. She's been told that they'll change them and then they never come back to actually do so. I often change the bandages myself. I was there the day after Thanksgiving to take Mom to our family dinner. There was no nurse on her floor. None. I searched the whole floor. Other staff told me she went to lunch. A nurse from downstairs tried to help but didn't have keys for the medicine cart nor was she able to find one in the main office. She acknowledged that there should have been someone on the assisted living floor but there was not. We waited 45 minutes for the missing nurse to come back and issue Mom's insulin. That is a long time to leave 20 some patients with no help. Lisa seems to be the only person on that floor that cares. They need more Lisas. I would not recommend Wellbrooke to anyone.
Mar 4th, 2020

Mother admitted today. Saturday. Mother who has significant health issues and had major surgery has been ignored. Called someone about her 7:30 pm meds. Hit the call button. No one came for probably 30 minutes. They came in and turned it off then left and took forever to come back. My daughter had to go out and get them. They left my mother in bathroom. Rang for assistance and no one came. Daughter and her boyfriend ended up having to do it because she was in pain sitting on the toilet. They arent prepared to set up CPAP machine. Long haired nurse with black hair about 25 was rude. Came in and yanked on her to pull her up. Didnt even know she had back surgery. Was extremely rude to her. She wanted to get up and go to bathroom and they made her use a bedpan. Nurse told her that she wasnt going to help because she didnt want to get yelled at. The only yelling was from pain, obviously. . Mother was crying from pain and nurse. The nurse told her that she had a dark attitude! Took forever to respond and get her any medication. Later after midnight my aunt came to stay. My aunt walked by the nurses station. The lady with the long black hair asked her how she was doing. My aunt told her she was on bed pan. My aunt told her she was going to get ice. She waited until my aunt walked to the machine and back and when My aunt passed by she had a cup of ice and was standing by a large portable cooler. Aunt asked her if the machine was not working and she said no it needed to be filled up. She knew this and let her walk there and back and did not offer ice until she came back by the station. Mother asked for a shower tomorrow and they said no that PT had to evaluate her first. They wont be here until Monday. She needs rails. We were told shed be assessed upon arrival and wasnt. So upset. Neglect. Physical abuse. Verbal abuse. They arent busy. The nurse that has been terrible sitting around.
Jun 5th, 2018