The Maplewood

The Maplewood, but they didn't! Be cautious of pretty packages. When my mom and I toured The Maplewood the social worker explained that they didn't have outside Hospice agencies come in because they (The Maplewood) provided palliative care and handled end of life care for their residence 'We have have a palliative team, doctors, nurses...they take care of everything. ' Great we thought! Mom moved in. 4 months later my mom was hospitalized and diagnosed with inoperable cancer. She returned to The Maplewood and we clarified with the social worker and staff- would mom need a hospice nurse? NO. Would she have to move rooms when she got close to dying?NO. 'We provide palliative care. That's what we do.' They reassured my frightened mom that - 'You have a palliative team caring for you. We will make sure you're comfortable.' 4/6 I get a call from the day nurse, mom who is battling her second bout of pneumonia in 4 weeks is 'having a down day. and by the way she is too weak to hold the phone, but she'd like to talk to you, by the way she is confused and she won't take her pills and her antibiotics aren't working and her pneumonia is worse...'My mom decided in January to be a DNR, and she didn't want to go back to the hospital. I told the nurse I was coming (a 7 hour drive) she said good. It's Friday, my mom is dying I think as I drive. When I arrive at midnight my mom is breathing 35times a minute sounding like a washing machine. Her eyes are rolling in their sockets as she involuntarily opens and closes them. I ask her how she is doing and she says 'I ache all over'. The night nurse enters the room, I tell her my mom's airway needs suctioned and mom needs pain meds. The nurse says to me (a 25 year ICU RN) 'Your mom doesn't need to be suctioned and she can't have any pain meds.' I said my mom is dying what do you mean she can't have pain meds? I'll stop right here. It only gets worse. The fact is the day nurse, the evening nurse and the social worker all knew my mom had taken a turn and not a one of them thought to tell the doctor or pa. A doctor or pa could have assessed the situation and recognized she was in multisystem organ failure and dying. They then could have modified her care plan and added medications that would maximize comfort. The nurses and social worker with their educational backgrounds should have done something to make sure her palliative needs would be met! It was Friday, they went home. The Maplewood promised my mom comfort care in the end. Her first appropriate end of life pain med was finally was obtained at 0540. She suffered until God finally took her at 0645.No end of life medications were ordered until 530am despite the day nurse and social worker knowing she was declining. How does this happen? They told her over and over that they would take care of her when she was dying! It was her biggest fear. We believed them. We were happy to pay $20,000 out of pocket a month for such inclusive services! Beware!!! They, the staff, smile a lot and sound so reassuring but YOU don't be fooled. If the end is near insist on seeing the care plan. Insist on seeing the med list. Educate yourself before hand- pain meds, nausea meds, anxiety meds, meds for excessive secretions should all be ordered and a available as needed for a dying DNR patient. These are all meds that maximize comfort. I assumed they took care of this for mom. Friday night at midnight is no time to be begging for comfort care medications.Heaven help the residents who don't have a voice due to dementia, Alzheimer's etc.or don't have an advocate when they are dying.

I want to share a review from the perspective of someone who is a vendor to the MaplewoodI've worked with the owner and multiple management and staff members for about 10 years.I realize that as a vendor I can't speak to things like the quality of care, as I've never experienced them directly. But, I feel a vendor's perspective is important because the way a company treats the people and businesses that support it can tell you a great deal about that company's values.As a former small business owner and now a consultant, I have worked with hundreds of companies. I've dealt with Fortune 100 companies to mom and pop shops, and everything in between. The Maplewood (specifically, its administrator, Greg, and his team) stands head and shoulders above most of the companies I've ever dealt with.Hard working, honest, caring, professional, fair, decenteveryone I've engaged at the Maplewood, including the servers in their restaurants (yes, the Maplewood has restaurants!) and the CNA's who provide daily support to residents, seem to be hand picked for their attentiveness, desire to care, and professionalism.Of course, the lifestyle at the Maplewood is unparalleled in Rochester. I won't get into that, but check out the photos on their website or do a tour. You'll be blown away.Specifically, there are two key things for me that set the Maplewood apart.First, as I mentioned above, is the people. I've never witnessed such a cohesive group of health care professionals, managers, and line workers that all seem to have the same values, that all seem to be pleasant, cheerful, and attentive. No one is ever too busy to help. I've been in and out of the facility for years on end and every time I'm asked by employees as they cross my path if I'm being helped or if I need anything. They all go above and beyond.Second, is what seems to be the Maplewood's undergirding philosophy. Everything they do, from the big private rooms, to the multiple dining options, to the recent addition, to the daily activities are all designed to enrich the lives of the residents and their loved ones. It's all about individualized care and living the best life possible. I've never seen anything like it and I have been in a lot of nursing homes throughout NYS. On the business side of things, I've always been treated fairly. The Maplewood always pays its bills on time and I've never gotten the run around. They invest in relationships, treat their vendors as team members, hold high standards in order to do great work, and they are always making business decisions based on what's best for their residents. I've been in meetings where the company has decided against a project or campaign that they would significantly benefit from because it would not be best for their residents and resident familiesthey live by their values.I can't tell you what it's like to have a family member living at the Maplewood. However, I can tell you that if and when the time comes, I will do everything in my power to get my loved one into the Maplewood. There's just no other place like it.

My mom was at the Maplewood nursing home for the last months of her life. The staff took the best care of my mom and was so caring to her every need. My mom has told my brother, sister and my self many times how much she loved those girls. We couldnt ask for any better care of our mom especially the times we werent able to be there. We always knew that she was being taken care of. Once again thank you. The DeForte Family

Hi , My Father Resides At The Maplewood And I Wanted To Share A Little Bit About Our Experiences There. First, The Whole Building Is Spotless !! My Dad's Room Is Cleaned Daily, Fresh Bedding Vacuumed, etc. My Dad Is Not Able To Take Care Of Himself And Therefor Is Cleaned Several Times A Day.The Dining Staff Are Fantastic ! Whatever Dad Might Want They Bring It To Him , Quickly ! The Nurse's Are Wonderful With Him, Alway's Kind And Nice ! The Nurse's And The AIDE'S Are The BEST !!! More Than Once I Have Come Up To My Dad's Door And Heard Aide's Talking To Him, They Are ALWAY'S Very Kind And Helpful To Him ! We Had A Meeting In October With All The Dept Head's Inc The Social Worker,Dad Said To The Whole Room, You Take Good Care Of Me !! That Was Huge !!! If I Call At 10:00 PM And Ask Them To Check On Him , They Alway's Do . I Sleep Good Every Night Knowing My Dad Is Being Cared For By Such A Devoted Bunch Of People That I Consider All Of Them More Than Friend's ! They Are Like FAMILY !!! Thank You For ALL You Do !!