HCR ManorCare

Caring for a declining loved one is a very difficult and demanding job, the following has been my experience with HCR Manor Care Rehabilitation center in West Deptford NJ:

My mother has Alzheimer's / Dimentia, being her only caregiver and needing a break she was sent through Hospice to Manor Care for a 5 night respite stay. When I went to pick her up she had the clothes she was wearing and ONE pair of pants and a pair of socks. They lost all her other clothes, most of which were brand new because of her weight loss. I patiently waited for them to try to find her clothes having to do laundry every other day, because I had no other winter pants, finally after two weeks I had to go out and buy her all new clothes and of course, find someone to watch her while I went. I was very frugal in my purchases and the total to replace the clothing was $133 and some change, not including 2 trips each, to Manor Care, the stores and a few hours of my time. I submitted the receipts for the purchases figuring I'd get reimbursed before the credit card bill arrived. More than a month later I'm still waiting. I spent hours getting the replacements and trying to get an answer to when my reimbursement will arrive and am told "it's in corporate". My Mother also declined severely while being cared for at Manor Care, when I brought her home she could barely walk, she was VERY mobile when she went in, I couldn't keep her still even if I tried and she also wasn't using the toilet anymore. She had a few accidents before she went in but did use the toilet MOST of the time. I ended up having to put a hospital bed in the living room because she could no longer make it upstairs to her bedroom. She has since improved a bit, but do yourself a favor, if you're caring for a loved one and need respite care choose a different facility. You've got enough on your plate and a respite isn't a respite if it costs you more time and work when you return, trying to get compensation and trying to get your loved one back in reasonable shape.