CASA DEL MARE

Six months ago, my mother entered the memory care unit. She walked without any assistive device, was independent with all personal cares, & participated in the organized activities. Since then, my mother had multiple "unwitnessed" falls, sustained a fractured pelvis, & 1 emergent trip to the hospital with severe dehydration. Now, my mother is not allowed to be alone in her room. Staff bring her to the day room before 6:00 AM & only allow her to return to her room at night. Even worse, the staff had a temporary plan to have my mother sleep at night in a chair in the day room. I stayed with my mother throughout the nights ONLY so she could sleep in her own bed. Sadly, my mother now needs help with her personal cares, hair is uncombed, teeth are filthy,. There is cognitive decline, loss of interest to attend activities, is sad, and agitated. Their new plan is to now sedate my mother & keep her in a chair. Other relatives & myself visit on different days & times every week. We are appalled with what we see: caregivers incessantly on their personal cell phones, no interactions between caregivers & residents, inappropriate movies/shows on tv, no responses whenever emergency pendant was activated. MOST IMPORTANT, my mother's pain behaviors from the fracture were ignored. On 1 occasion, we were told "there was nothing they could do." When questions were asked about my mother's care & condition, the only answers are, "I don't know," or "I can't tell you because you aren't the POA." I have expressed my concerns to individual caregivers, the charge nurse, and executive director. Nothing ever changes. This is the culture of the company. We were accused of being "trouble makers," told that "we make it difficult for her staff," and gas-lit us to say that family visits "agitate" my mother. Unfortunately, the POA lives 1000 miles away & believes what is said by the charge nurse & not what other family witness. Moving forward, my plan is to consult with the WI Ombudsman whenever there is a question about my mother's safety and/or personal rights.

St. Catherine's Commons- Assisted Living and Memory Care is a beautiful community near the shores of Lake Michigan. Their entire team goes above and beyond to provide compassionate care to their residents and families. I also love how St. Catherine's is involved with multiple events in Kenosha, WI (Annual Chili Cook Off, Pops Concerts by the lake, and so much more!)- it's such thoughtful way to keep their residents engaged and involved with the broader community. If you are looking for care for your loved one, I would recommend starting with St. Catherine's.

Everyone has been very helpful getting my mom moved to assisted living. She was previously in independent living. Now she has better care and help with life. Maria made a big impact on helping mom feel comfortable moving. Ann was an angel and helped mom in independent living. I can’t tell you how much better we feel knowing mom is safe. I believe she enjoys her neighbors and friends too.

Casa del Mare is a beautiful facility with a very friendly and caring staff. Communication is excellent with the nurses and Leah, the director. I moved my mom here from Chicago (2.5 years ago) where she had lived for 60 years in her home. Maria was so easy to work with as there were hiccups on my end with my mom along the way. Maria was so understanding! Of course it was an adjustment for her (and me), but she loves her apartment and enjoys sitting out on her balcony. Mom has made friends, participates in activities, or just likes to read a book from the onsite library in her apartment. They go shopping once a week so I feel this gives her a sense of “independence” and not needing to depend on me for everything. I know that my Mom is receiving excellent care here and I don’t need to worry about her living alone anymore. I highly recommend Casa del Mare.

We recently chose St. Catherine’s Commons in Kenosha as our mother’s new home, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the decision. The admissions process was smooth and easy, with excellent communication from start to finish. Our mother is not only very happy there but also loves the food and is making wonderful new friends. We feel confident in the quality of care she’s receiving and are grateful for the warm, welcoming community at St. Catherine’s Commons.