Atlas Healthcare review: Medical care given at Atlas Healthcare of Maywood

My father was admitted to the facility on 10/11/22. From the very first day he was not given the proper care. He fell twice within the first week he was there. The first fall happened around 4pm and I was not made aware of it by the facility until 10pm that night. I was told about the second fall around 6:30am and was told he was found on the floor outside of the bathroom around 4am (who knows how long he was laying there). After both falls I was told that he was "checked" by a nurse and he was okay. How could they know he was okay? A doctor never looked at him or did any x-rays or scans of his head. He was sent there from the hospital due to a fall at home that caused bleeding in his head. After the second fall my father began declining rapidly (he had dementia). He stopped eating and was almost completely unresponsive.

I spoke with nurses, the nursing supervisor and the concierge many times. The only nurse that was very nice and helpful was Dina. Kattia the concierge was extremely nice and would listen to me and deliver my complaints. The nursing supervisor (I don't remember her name) was a complete idiot. She was not concerned at all about the complaints I made about the care my father was receiving.

I was told that his blood sugar was being tested regularly (he had diabetes). One day I asked the nursing supervisor to see the results and found out they had not been testing his blood sugar. The nursing supervisor said they had no orders for that. So they lied about him being tested. You need orders to test someone with diabetes? After that they began testing he was given insulin because his sugar was extremely high (300-400).

I had to tell them that I thought my father was dehydrated due to not drinking enough liquids. They finally did bloodwork which showed he was dehydrated. They told me that they would just try and encourage him to drink more. I insisted that they start IV fluids for him.

I also had to point out that he had a cough that should be checked. They tested him for Covid and did a chest x-ray. He tested positive for covid and also had pneumonia. I did not trust that they would treat him properly so I insisted he go to the ER at Hackensack hospital. That same day I spoke with the nursing supervisor, the nurse practitioner, the concierge, the head of administration and finally the staff doctor. The staff doctor was an absolute idiot. He was not listening to my complaints. I told him my father may not survive this and I wanted him to go to the ER. His response was "well it's your decision whether you want your father to die here or in the hospital". At that point I told him the conversation was over and I was getting my father out of the facility.

My father was completely neglected at that facility. I can't think of one thing they did right for my father. Now that I think of it, I never even questioned why they did not test the residents frequently for covid. We don't know how long my father had covid by the time they tested him after I pointed out that he had a cough and was very lethargic.

My father went to the ER on 11/2/22 and we were told after a couple days that there was not much more they could do for him. He was not improving at all from the covid meds they gave him, the IV fluids and inhaler. He was brought home on hospice on 11/5/22. He passed away on 11/9/22.

Other issues I had was they had no monitor on the bed of patients that were fall risks. Why wouldn't they have something that would alert them if a fall risk patient attempts to get out of bed. They were supposed to shower and shave him on Mondays and Thursdays. Several times I went there and he had not been showered or shaved on his scheduled day. When I questioned it I was never given an explanation as to why this did not happen. I was always told "we'll look into it". They also offered to do his laundry but yet I would go there and had to tell them to do the laundry. Again never given an explanation as to why it was not done.

He was totally neglected in that facility. They need to be investigated so they cannot continue to neglect these poor patients. I regret so much sending my father there. I had finally gotten him approved for the Veterans Home in Paramus and he was supposed to go there on 11/15/22. If they had not neglected him so bad he may have made it there. I will not stop until I know this is being investigated and what the outcome is. Something has to be done about that facility. One thing for sure is some of the staff needs to be replaced and they should make sure they are not short staffed.