Aegis Living Ventura

Moving Mom and Dad into assisted living was a difficult phase for all of us, staying in their home of 35 years was no longer feasible. During the move into Aegis of Ventura we were impressed with the diligence, care and attention we received from the staff and management. Staff regularly, in passing, offered to assist in any way. There were 101 details and preferences that needed to be worked out and they were always helpful and cooperative in easing this transition.

The care has a lot of issues. The residents aids are underpaid at an average of $12 an hour for the expected care required by management. My mother is in the last later stages of Alzheimers and it has been difficult to get help at night. An example is I was on Alexa Show with her and it was apparent ahe was hacing a small feather stroke caused from her vascular dementia. She tried to push her call button and no one came, Her May mat that is outside her bed to alert staff when she stands because she is a fall risk wasnt in place and so she couldnt step on it to get immediate help. I was calling on the facilities phone to the direct line and the phone rang more than 50 times in the two call attempts. Finally someone answered and I was literally yelling for someoneone to get up to her room. The person answering the phone seemed put out that I was calling asking for help. It was infuriating considering the approximate $5000 she pays,per month. The turnover in staff is obvious as one of the many problems. Two weeks ago an employee who voluntarily quite turned Aegis into the oversight agency, CDSS, for violations mandated by the State. CDSS went there on July 2, 2018 and fined Aegis for violations such as the air conditioner in the kitchen dripping condensation from the roof into the residents foods. I found the exit sign outside my moms room hanging by one loose screw. I was appalled at the 17 violations he notified CDSS about. After the inspection, Bill, in management sent the former employee an email saying he was no longer allowed at the facility even to visit residents he had as friends. My mother was one of those residents and she was furious when I told her. I had personally seen the email sent to him by Bill (Solid evidence and not hearsay) and was equally furious. CDSS went back and reprimanded Bill for his actions letting him know he was out of line and could not refuse any resident, who requested visitors, to forbid it. I went into the CDSS website and looked them up for prior year inspections and violations. I didnt like what I saw. I am not my mothers Power of Attorney so she is stuck there. I would suggest that if you are going to place a loved one in any facility to not judge it by just the look, activities, and food but to see what violations they have on their record at CDSS. My mom has been in two other facilities and I think most of these facilities over sell their services, facility and general appearance. They just need to fill their apartments. The care for our elderly in Ventura seems challenged to provide high quality care considering the cost our seniors pay. Again, before you choose a facility check the ratings, not on the internet or just your initial,impression, but on the ratings at the CDSS site. Also the residenrs needing assistance, only get 2 showers a week and my mom hates it sinceshowers really make her feel better which is one factor affecting her behavior and appearance. I live 1 1/2 hours away and I am grateful /to see and talk with her on Amazon Echo Show. We talk, I read to her and we even do arm exercises normally morning and night for several hours. She doesnt even have to touch the device. I set it up for drop in calls so it calls her and the camera and microphone immediately works. I think all elderly who want to see and talk with family/friends should have an Alexa Show with each family members home having one. She can call me and video conference or ask Alexa to get the weather, music she loves to listen too, and a lot of questions she may have. I ask the aids sometimes to ask Alexa to play a piece of music for her when she goes to bed or I read her a story. Seeing your loved one adds so much to their and your life. Great quality time for everyone. The

This place is lovely from a first impression but I would definitely go in there at several times throughout the day & night to get a true observation. I would not recommend this place to anyone from my experience overseeing my dear friend on a daily basis because Aegis did not meet his care needs daily as he paid for them. My 85 year young dear friend was there for barely two months. He paid extra money on a monthly basis to have himself cared for. They certainly charged him but rarely fulfilled his needs. They actually forgot to take him for dinner and lunch on several occasions. This place is ran with a skeleton crew, definitely lacking good hired help. One evening I had to go there after 8pm because my friend constantly called upon for help and they flat out ignored his calling,( which is a button you wear around your neck). I arrived and met with a director on duty that night, he was embarrassed to answer quite a few questions I had asked him.One was, how many care takers are on duty now? It was 9:15 PM at that time. There was 2 and that was including him and that was for 87 patients. That explains why my friend was ignored And why you would hear the lady next door always yelling for help. I went round and round for the nurse on duty to check my friends bandage. She was sweating profusely and after ten minutes she finally checked his bandage. Shes the incompetent Nurse that is so out of shape she shouldnt be there.Horrible and not acceptable. There were several more incidents at Aegis and they kept coming one by one. When you go to the dining room and you order a hot beverage, they are luke warm, takes forever to get a cup of coffee and they never have enough to go around. If you have a loved one there, you must check up on them daily. Do not believe the care that Ages says they offer. The directors do not communicate with each other and you never get a honest answer out of any of them. Watch your laundry, stuff disappears from there. I started a ledger and documented their negligence daily. Seriously, this went on daily. I complained to the helpers, directors, the nurse on duty etc... They all pass the buck and come up with some ridiculous excuse. There is No excuse for not feeding the elderly, not changing their clothes and flat out ignoring them.It literally takes AGES to get the proper help/care at Aegis. My dear friend was removed from that 30 day death sentence and is living in a very loving, healthy, happy, great food and excellent staff,home sweet home kind of place.I thank God every day that hes getting the care he needs and more. Shame on you Aegis you neglected this lovely man who paid you handsomely and some extra monies that were for your staff to care for him in the best of best care for his needs that he could not do alone. He paid for that extra help and you neglected-him and did not fulfill your obligations to care for him properly.

I am the trustee of a 91 year-old friend with dementia. She moved into Aegis in January 2018 and her dementia has progressed since that time, worsening. She lives in the memory care neighborhood at Aegis of Ventura. I have found the care provided to my friend at Aegis to be very good. Like any institution, be it a school for your child, or an assisted living or memory care facility for a parent or elderly friend it is essential to cultivate relationships with those at the institution. At Aegis, they have welcomed this and I have good communication with the care staff, and the healthcare staff. This has proven essential for all involved, especially myself.Recently my friend was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, which is common in those who have dementia. Aegis staff noticed that my friend was not herself at lunch, and by 4pm they had called me to say they were sending her to the hospital, where she received the diagnosis. She was in the hospital for two days, and unfortunately I was sick at this time and could not visit or be involved myself. Aegis staff was with my friend in the emergency room from until 10:30pm, and my friend was admitted to the hospital, where she stayed for two days.The healthcare director and care manager kept me informed to the situation, and in fact picked her up at the hospital and brought her back to the facility. The level of care from Aegis, the hospital and my friend's physician was excellent, and a great relief to me. This is one example. I find that Aegis communicates to me with all concerns regarding the care of my friend. And that is my recommendation regardless of what facility you choose, cultivate good communication, and stay involved, just as you would with your child at a school, or something of that nature.I can highly recommend Aegis for memory care assisted living. My friend, dementia and all is very happy there, and somehow remains in good spirits. When I recently took her to her physician for a follow up appointment, returning back to Aegis as we walked into the facility my friend's eyes lit up, she recognized where she was, happy to be home.