SPRING HILLS LAKE MARY

I recently toured this retirement community and unfortunately left feeling very disappointed primarily due to how disorganized the Executive Director was during our visit. The tour itself felt scattered and unstructured. We were moved from area to area without much explanation, and it didn’t feel welcoming or thoughtfully presented. When evaluating a retirement community, professionalism and clear communication are critical and unfortunately, that was not our experience here.

When we first brought my family member to Spring Hills, they did everything they could to convince us to move in. Unfortunately, once we became residents, the experience quickly went downhill. Management has changed and is now very rude and dismissive. The only person in management who has been genuine and approachable is the nursing director. The nursing staff appears overwhelmed and overworked, and there is no consistent staffing in the building. The constant staff turnover is very concerning. There are serious maintenance issues throughout the building, including mold, leaking ceilings, and at times no heat. These conditions are unacceptable. The quality of care has declined. The food is not nutritious, and there are little to no stimulating activities, despite being promised before move-in. We were also promised transportation to doctor appointments, but in reality appointments are only accommodated on certain days, which makes proper medical care difficult. It is especially difficult to consider moving because having your parents only 10 minutes away allows you to be present and involved in their care, and we have been locals to this area for over 20 years. However, despite wanting to stay close, the lack of care, staffing, and follow-through has made this situation extremely disappointing. Overall, this facility does not provide the level of care or services that were sold to us. I would strongly encourage families to do thorough research before placing a loved one here.

I called in for information about taking some in and the person named Kay was very short and show what rude. I am glad. It didn’t worked out. Because I would’ve not wanted to see my family in a place like that where just right off the back you get a bad impression.

We had the privilege of visiting the facility today. My colleague and I were pleased to observe a special resident-directed meeting to discuss what the residents wanted to eat. We have been working in long-term care for many years and have never seen such care for their residents as we saw today—to hear their desires and become part of the dining experience.

It’s been almost a year since my dad moved to Spring Hills Cottages (Memory Care). I remember how I felt while I was looking for a place for my dad back then. We knew things were changing and it was continually harder for my wife and I to give him the care he needed. As his mobility lessened our house no longer was functional for him. The house didn’t accommodate his needs anymore. Then he had a couple of falls that he needed hospital visits for. It became too obvious this living arrangement wasn’t working. I had no idea what to do. I did not even no were to start. I was lost. It seemed like everything was moving faster than I could. What do I do, where do I go, what will it cost. I hit a lot of dead ends and unforeseen detours while I was trying to find my way. Senior One was a great resource. Through their guidance I was able to start to make some sense of my options. It was obvious my dad needed more care than we could give him. That, in itself was a challenging experience. They helped me find my first step forward. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Cat at Spring Hills during a visit to tour their Facility and Memory Care. She was a great help and full of information. She was confident and reassured me that they could help dad. At this point I was a little doubtful. He needed a lot of additional care. Nothing seemed to work out up to this point. When she gave me the tour I saw and felt a difference from the other places I had seen, and dad had done rehab in. I really liked what I saw. I noted the open atmosphere, the interaction, the central gathering approach, and scheduled events. In short, it seemed like the best option I had for dad. Through that experience I have come to know that Cat is a person of high integrity, and I respect that. Now it’s almost a year later I am sure that it was the best choice for dad. I am lucky enough to live close enough I can visit him several times a week. He is always well dressed and clean. His rooms in in good standing and his bed is aways made. They take extra care with his diet. His food needs to be pureed, and his liquids need thickener. He needs help with most activities because of his limited mobility. That includes using the restroom, dressing, medication, and showering. I know how much help he receives from the staff on a daily basis. Over time I have been able to get to know some of the staff that routinely care for my dad and assist him daily. I was able to build a good relationship with a lot of them. Lajuana, Caneisha, and Crystal are the ones I see most often and they have been there since dad arrived. They seem to be very good-hearted people with a level of understanding and patience I don’t think most people have. I believe that they are genuinely good people. They work well with my dad and understand how to help him. I owe them my gratitude and thanks. To anyone that reads this I wish you well on your journey. If you feel lost and alone remember, you are not alone. As long as we believe, we are never alone. There is no instruction manual for this experience. Respectfully Ross P