Last Entry Leaside Revera Assisted Living Review Blog

Hello apologies for not posting in last couple of years. life just gets more complex when caring for elderly loved ones as you all know.

Please note this bog outlines my personal experience with Leaside Revera from 2014 to Spring 2017.

XXX died peacefully in Spring 2019 two years after moving to LTC. I was impressed with the palliative and end of life care provided in his last week. There was also ample support for to access during this period as well. The health care team was wonderful.

please note once a loved one passes in LTC you have just a few days to pack up the room. This is to allow the room to be cleaned/painted/repaired for the next resident.

Reflecting back at this point my only regret was not applying for the LTC bed when we moved into Leaside Revera limiting the stay there with questionable safe care to just one year.

Now LTC waits are longer ( some wait times of over 5 years).

I appreciate you may need to move a loved one to a private care assisted living facility but in closing do so knowing the care is not as polished as the decorated facilities.

On top of the base care paid for…hire private care if you are wanting excellent person centre personal care and you will be happy with your choice in private care. This will come at a premium cost. I would estimate around 20, 000 a month And factor in this will increase annually.

Some have the capacity to maintain this level of private care but if you do not use private care options as a bridged approach to choosing a LTC facility operated by a government organization. Take time to look around…and chat to families who have their loved in care.

This blog will stay and perhaps now the facility is much improved since the Pandemic.

Please remain safe.

Not impressed with Leaside Revera as an organization

I noticed something the last time I visited xxx in the parking lot.  First 10 or so spots from entry of driveway are reserved for resident cars.

The next two spots that are directly nearest the ramp walkway up to the front entrance are reserved, the one sign says “reserved for the Executive Director” the other is “reserved for xxxxx ”

I never noticed this before but to be honest for the last stressful year I really don’t engage or pay attention to Leaside Revera its too heartbreaking.

So…if Leaside Revera cares compassionately for their residents and families why do two team members get the best parking spots?

And this got me thinking….what about the poor wife who is well over 80 walking with a cane coming to visit her husband who she can no longer care for at home… and she has to park further away from the door.  Is this family focused?  I am shaking my head and laughing to myself…I am not one ounce surprised.

I frequent a hospital with another family member of mine, and the ground and level 2 parking spaces are reserved for patients, families and visitors. Staff must park and there is a sign saying this is reinforced on level 3 and above.  Food for thought.

Leaside executive director if you are reading this…maybe you could park further at the back and give up your prime parking spot for someone in need.

I will report back if they actually listen.

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I do not visit as often now as I have other competing demands on my work and personal life.

Overall xxx has a roof over his head, access to food and water and if anything goes wrong there is someone to help him.

Basic care needs are run of the mill from most…there are a few that care..but not all and as I have stated before continuity of care is not a priority from what I experience. Staff turnover is quite significant. I wonder if Leaside as a major corporation monitors and puts strategies in place to reduce their rate of staff leaving.

Mind you I think a lot leave for greener pastures, which I cannot fault them for.

visit week of Nov 9 2015

good visit with xxx.

a bit more tired this week.

laundry all put away and room quite tidy.

the support team on the unit very talkative today, giving me updates on xxx last 2-3 weeks mood and behaviour.

I want to reiterate that my concerns about this facility are the leadership that guide the front line workers.

the care is ok to good, more ok than good and I think currently the care is a bit better as there are several rooms empty on the floor xxx is on.

It is interesting with what I believe is a substantial profit margin of Revera, the facility asks residents to contribute to the bonuses for the front line staff.

I am sure that if Revera Leaside gave 1% of their profits back to the front line staff this would be incentive to keep high standards.  From what I understand leadership gets substantial bonuses, but for the holidays for the front line staff they expect residents and family members to foot this bill.

If they just took 50-100 dollars from each residents annual payment and shared with the front line…would that be too much to ask? Instead they are asking us to give back.

Interesting concept to have.

week of Nov 2nd – charging for blood work, not getting consent to do blood work

Recently there was a charge on xxx account for 25.00 for blood work.

No one informed me of the need for xxx to have bloods drawn.

No one got my consent. Funny they called me to get my consent to administer flu shot, but when an intervention that is being charged to residents account is needed no call.

I have no idea why blood needed to be drawn.

I have no idea of the results and whether they actually review the results.

I do not and you should not trust the health care in the facility it is severely lacking.

In the past year xxx had an imaging test, several months later I asked to see the results…they never even received the results!  When I pointed this out to the health care team, they basically looked at me blankly.

So it will be unknown to me the reason for the blood work and I have made a conscious decision not following up on this,

Because most likely I will get some half baked, half ass’d response if any at all.

xxx just has to pay for something that was unnecessary from my opinion.

Completely pissed off at this Revera’s communication style.

But I am stuck… and always will be.

visit week of oct 26th — do regular safety checks with equipment and room

trying to give some positives first:

1. room fairly tidy, i just had a few mins of making things a bit neater
2. clothes hung up

What i found as i tidied up xxx bed putting clean pillowcase on was

1. safety side rail was down so xxx doesn’t fall into the gap between wall. Not sure why it was down. xxx would never be able to put it down on own.
2. safety break locks on bed not on (i am assuming that they were vacuuming under bed and moved bed and did not put breaks back on.

So weekly I do check to make sure the bed is secure and rails and breaks are on equipment.

Had some time to chat with xxx

visit week of oct 19

xxx seemed ok. just tired, room was fairly tidy, found dirty clothes and linens in bathroom just tidied up a bit.

clothes were hung as best I can expect. with this had some time to sit and chat with xxx.

tips on purchasing extra services on top of the care you pay for

As mentioned before the standard daily and evening care is minimal based on the personal support worker to resident ratio. The higher the ratio is, more profit for Revera and the management team.  They do get compensated for keeping costs down.

Most important for you loved one is that they are well groom and settled for day and night.

If your loved on has the financial means hire a personal support work for 1-2 hours in the am daily, to wash, dress, make sure dentures in and they have some good interaction with a caring person. 2 hours may seem like a lot but then they can tidy the room, sort clean and dirty clothes, and provide some social interaction.

Evening time to settle them for bed should not take longer than one hour to clean teeth, was up, change disposable underwear (if needed), get into pjs and then settle into bed.

I hope this is helpful

More tips to come

visit week of Oct 12 2015

xxx was having a good day. good conversation and seemed a bit stronger today but that ebbs and flows.

surprised that clothes were hung up and towels seemed all organized this week. a pleasant surprise.

Reassessments of Level of care

Please be aware that every 4 months, a RN with no attention to detail will reassess your love one.

This is their opportunity to increase your monthly rate.

Be prepared to have increases potentially every four months.

Charlene will send you the RNs assessment, read through it carefully they make mistakes and lie about falls, there is little attention to detail.

Even if you dispute the level of care they will automatically take the increase out of the authorized prepayment you set up.

visit Sept 5/6 2015 weekend

OK visit with xx.  Clothes out of laundry bag and some put on hangers, not very neat, but can really expect perfection.

Each week I organize the closet, rehanging things a bit neater.

Restock the disposable underwear xx loves in the bathroom and in drawers.

I put dirty laundry and dirty towels in the laundry bag.

I have 2 sets of personal pillow cases. I notice they have not changed them for 3 weeks, on my to do list.

I buy unscented and gentle soap and shampoo and cream, and buy 2 at a time so xx and the staff never run out. It makes it easier to keep a bit of a stock on hand.

Hope this is helpful!