Avenue at Lyndhurst Care and Rehabilitation Center

My mother was transported to Avenue Lyndhurst from the hospital for occupational and physical therapy. Although she was reluctant to go to rehab we found she truly enjoyed the activities they provided such as wheel chair volleyball. It was cute watching patients work diligently strengthening their ability to coordinate and maneuver. Patients really seemed to enjoy this activity. While some activities were challenging, therapist ensured everyone was meeting their goals daily. Security of the building was very important to my family. We learned some facilities had 24 hour visitation with no security. Huge red flag for us! Avenue visitation hours are 8am-8pm. During hours of operation, all visitors must sign in at the front desk. My mother felt safe and each evening we felt ease leaving her there knowing the building was secure. Cleanliness, the building itself is beautiful! When entering the lobby you’re greeted with warm royal colors of amethyst and the sound of smooth jazz. resident rooms were cleaned daily between the hours of 7am to 2pm. Floors swept and mopped, bathrooms cleaned, trash removed, etc. Staffing, lack of staff made it difficult to simply come visit my mom without having to work. There were many days I had to help bathe, dress, and even change sheets on her bedding. Additionally, distribution of medication was not always timely. This was brought to the attention of the Administrator who immediately addressed staff. I cannot blame the staff however, I believe it was the lack of staffing after spending more time at the facility. This location definitely needs additional staffing to address the needs of their patients. My experience with the staff overall was positive, but they are stretched thin!!! Call lights would be on throughout the floor, staff tried addressing rooms as quickly as possible, but lights were flicking more quickly than could be addressed. I felt bad for the employees, but I would honestly say they were pleasant and competent when aware of patient challenges. Food, my mother was not a fan of meals prepared by Avenue therefore she did not eat as directed. When staff noticed she was not eating they began administering Boost to increase her caloric intake. My mom again rejected the Boost as well. I taste her food and it wasn’t bad at all, but a little over seasoned for those who may have had dietary restrictions around salt. It’s facility food. It was better than I expected, but if you have a loved one with high blood pressure, taste the food first for them to ensure it’s not too salty. Discharge was a bit unorganized. Some staff seemed to be clueless on my mom’s exit. Paperwork was not prepared, medication my mom was supposed to leave with had to be requested. There was no social worker present to answer final questions. It was a little overwhelming, but eventually it all came together and the administrator followed up the day after her release to ensure my mom’s next steps with in-home nursing and rehab were in place. I learned a lot in this process. No place is perfect. Avenue Lyndhurst had some rocky moments that were adjustable. The Administrator was accessible and listened diligently. She tried to remedy issues that were brought to her attention bringing every department on board. With proper staffing who cares for patients with great bedside manner, this place has the ability to function as good as it looks. The facility itself is beautiful, but as one of the staff persons told me… NEVER judge a book by its cover. I found that to be true with the operation of this building. I’m grateful for most of the staff who took care of my mom. We had a few hiccups, but everything was properly addressed and the administrator did her best to remedy situations brought to her attention. It is my hope that my mom will never have to go to a facility again, but if she does based on the aesthetics I would select Avenue Lyndhurst again. If I had to make a decision based on the number of staff per resident my answer would differ just a bit.

If I could give this place zero stars, I would. The building might look nice, but this is the worst-run facility I’ve ever encountered. Staff are barely around, and most of the aides are rude when you do find them. The only exception was one RN who was actually kind and helpful. We spoke to the Director of Nursing (DON) and the administrator about earlier incidents including a nurse shoving meds in my grandmother’s mouth at night without her knowing and then claiming that they didn’t realize she was vision impaired. After that incident, the DON put up clear signs in her room and made sure to let the staff, including management, know about her vision impairment. Still, they kept insisting they “didn’t know.” On another occasion, my grandmother’s call light was left on from 8 a.m. until almost noon. Her pills were left sitting on the table, with no one announcing them, so she had no idea they were there. I left her call light on just to see if anyone would come. I ended up helping her bathe, get dressed, and making sure she ate all while the nurse sat at the nurses’ station right outside her room. No one showed up for over an hour and when an aide finally showed up, she announced rudely that she was the only one working then left, and by then we were in route to therapy. We saw a brief improvement after voicing our concerns, but it didn’t last. If your loved one isn’t fully able to care for themselves, this place is not safe they will be neglected. And no, my grandmother isn’t there anymore. This is just a warning for families in need of rehabilitation or long-term care for their loved one.