ComplaintsforBrookdale Senior Living - Headquarters

• Initial Complaint

  04/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My father is a resident of the Russellville, AR facility. YESTERDAY, when checking on Dad we noticed that his Ostomy bag needed attention. The aide informed us that the interim ED instructed the staff that very day to stop attending to all ostomy bag care. She added that the resident would need to call the family whenever they needed assistance with the bag. Dad has had the bag for several months AND Brookdale informed his medical team that his bag would be no problem for them BEFORE he left the hospital. It's in his plan of care AND we were NEVER notified that he would no longer be receiving the care THAT WE PAY AN EXTRA $800 a month for. This is elder abuse, neglect, fraud, and breech of contract.

  Business response

  04/12/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/04/05) */ Thank you for taking the time to speak with our District Director of Clinical Services. We are aware our District Director of Clinical Services and District Director of Operations also connected with your sister to discuss your family's concerns. We understand there was a miscommunication and care was not interrupted. The community will be working with the resident's home health agency to ensure the proper care is provided.

• Initial Complaint

  12/20/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have repeatedly asked Brookdale in Forest Grove to reevaluate my grandmother's needs, as she is taking care of most of her own needs. We are being charged an extra $1,824 per month for services she isn't using. I have called, emailed, texted, and even filed a state complaint and nothing has happened. I need them to reevaluate her care and adjust the bill accordingly. I attached her assessment summary and only the first two are things she still is using.

  Business response

  12/22/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/12/22) */ ****, we appreciate you sharing this feedback with us. We are aware you have since spoken with the Executive Director about your grandmother being reevaluated. We encourage you to continue working directly with the Executive Director. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/12/28) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I was supposed to have a meeting with her on 12/23/21 at 9am and she was running late, so she wanted to reschedule. I said Monday after Christmas, she said perfect. It's now Tuesday. I understand that we have had inclement weather, but this is getting close to the next **** being paid. I want the meeting and I want it now. I am withholding funds from the next payment for the services she is not using until we have this meeting and I **** file another complaint if you try to evict her over it. Don't tell me to continue working with the executive director. I expect responses from Corporate that aren't cookie cutter garbage I've seen repeatedly on other complaints. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/01/13) */ ****, we are aware of the care conference held on January 12th. We are aware that credits are be issued and a nurse **** be completing a reassessment as well. Consumer Response /* (2000, 11, 2022/01/13) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) That's cool that you were aware of the care conference that just happened and waited until it happened to respond to this complaint to make yourself look better. You should have responded right away and said you'd have this care conference organized, which would have been a better PR stunt. I do not appreciate your tone and it doesn't look like many other people with complaints do either. It is extremely sad that it took me filing a complaint with multiple agencies to get it done, but I am satisfied with the outcome. I thank ****** and******* for their assistance on Zoom yesterday, they were great. You, not so much. Best Wishes. Consumer Response /* (3000, 16, 2022/01/31) */ This was supposedly resolved. I was supposed to receive a credit for unused services for two months, a partial credit for January and an evaluation for my grandmother. I just got a bill for $7,897. No credits. No adjustments. THIS IS STILL NOT RESOLVED. WHAT IN THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE? Business Response /* (4000, 18, 2022/02/03) */ Kyle, we thank you for your patience. We have verified with our corporate billing team that all credits have been applied to your account following your meeting with the Executive Director on February 2nd.

• Initial Complaint

  12/02/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My problem is that the manager ***** at Brookdale senior living is letting people without license hand out mediations and it is very illegal for this to be happening the needs for the residents are not being met some of the caregiver won't give the residents drinks when they ask or help when they ask for it there is employees who with fight in the hall way of Brookdale in front of the residents and nothing is being done there are so many health code violations the cooks don't wear gloves and touch the food with there hands the sinks for the drains haven't been washed in for every and I feel that Brookdale is no longer a safe place for the residents I have had resident tell me they don't feel safe with some caregivers in there room because they are mean to them.

  Business response

  12/16/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/12/06) */ We have received this complaint and will investigate in accordance with our normal complaint investigation process.

• Initial Complaint

  11/24/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  At the beginning of the year, my mother became unable to care for herself, and my husband and I moved her in with us in March. In September, we thought she might be happier with the socialization available at an assisted living facility. I toured a few, and chose Brookdale of Winter Haven. I signed a lease agreement on September 23, thinking that I would begin moving Mom's things in early October. Mom suffered a fall and other medical issues just after that, and was hospitalized on September 28. I was communicating with the facility that the move-in would be delayed, but did move a few things in. By October 12, we could see that Mom would not recover well enough to move in, and we gave Brookdale 30-day written notice on that day. We removed all of Mom's items from the room on October 20, even though we could have kept the room all the way until November 11. When I signed the lease, Mom paid $6410. This was to cover the rent for the end of September, and all of October. It also included $511 of nursing care for October. There was also a one-time fee of $2750, which the agreement states is non-refundable and due upon moving in. It is used for the general upkeep of the facility. We received a bill for the full month of November, not a pro-rated one for November 1-11. We called Brookdale many times, and asked if it would be possible to have at least a partial refund of the $2750, since Mom never moved in. We were also asking for an accurate final bill, one that was for November 1-11, not the full month. Few of our first calls were accepted or returned when we left messages. None of our calls since October 16 have been accepted or returned. We have received another bill for the full month of November, plus a $250 late fee. This means Mom is being charged $8644 for a room she never used. We understand we are responsible for the room September 23-November 11, but to be charged $8644 for an unoccupied room is unjust.

  Business response

  12/06/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/12/05) */ We are aware our District Director of Operations, Cindy, has confirmed with you that a refund is forthcoming. Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2021/12/06) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

• Initial Complaint

  11/11/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Brookdale staff in California evaluated and approved my sister, Margaret *******, for admission into Brookdale East Arbor assisted living in Arizona. Brookdale collected a community fee of $2,500.00, rent of $2,520.00, and $2,500.00 for personal services. In June 2021, within the first week of Margaret being at East Arbor, our family was told we must remove her because Brookdale couldn't "accommodate" her. No further explanation was given, nor alternatives offered, nor return of funds. Since that time, the facility director was replaced by **** ********. Despite numerous efforts to contact him by phone and by email, I was ignored. On Sept. 27 I spoke with Laura ************, an ombudsman at the Area Agency on Aging, who said she had a couple of other complaints about Brookdale East Arbor and that she had made several attempts to contact Mr. ********. Then, ************ stopped communicating with me. Finally, on Oct. 12 Mr. ******** called me to discuss the situation, saying that he would forward the information to corporate and that I could expect to receive an offer and signature package. After signing it, a check would be issued from corporate. Having heard nothing, on Oct. 25 I emailed Mr. **** to ask for his supervisor's contact information so I could contact him/her directly. I was ignored. Now, a month has passed and not surprisingly, I've not received any package. I wonder how many other times Brookdale has admitted a patient for just the window of time required for the money to be deposited. Even more egregious than stealing money is the distress caused to a vulnerable senior citizen by such unnecessary disruption. Unprofessional is not a strong enough word to describe how Brookdale conducts business. Alice ****, PoA for patient Margaret *******

  Business response

  12/06/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/11/18) */ We appreciate you bringing these concerns to our attention. Our Executive Director will continue to work with you and the appropriate departments regarding your refund.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩