San Remo

My wife was in San Remo for almost three months as a result of COPD complicated by pneumonia, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic pancreatitis. She had health problems for several years, and had been in other similar facilities in years past.

Even though I could not visit in person because of Covid, I'm certain she got good care from her nurses and other staff members.

So, the reason for the four star instead of five is this: communications within this facility are horrible. Many, many times, many days, I wanted to check on my wife's condition if she did not answer her cell phone, so I called the main telephone number to speak to her nurse. After about 7 p.m., this was usually not answered at all. Just left to ring and ring. Sometimes repeated redials were 50-60 repeated rings. This was the norm, not the exception.

I also called to leave messages at the same number with the "switchboard operator," (no such person exists) and I was surprised when it was even answered. I usually wanted to speak to a supervisor, or to talk with the nurse working with my wife. About 90% of these call-back requests were promised, but went un-returned. I finally gave up on even trying.

When I specifically asked to be called back by the case manager or facility director, usually nothing. On my wife's admittance to San Remo I was told by the case manager that I would get a weekly update on Tuesdays about her case, after their staff meetings. This lasted for about two weeks, then a void. No reports, and I could not get any answers about her condition. No returned telephone calls. Just whatever a nurse might tell me.

My wife died on November 22, this year after being taken emergency from San Remo to Methodist Hospital of Richardson.

I do not even know the cause of her death--now almost four weeks later. No one from San Remo has called me, or returned my calls. Getting this information has been impossible, except maybe later from the funeral home which has treated me with much, much more kindness than San Remo.

I called a few days after her passing to ask if San Remo would like to have a copy of her obituary for the staff, who had cared for her, to read. It would have meant a lot to me for her to be remembered for the person she was, not just a patient highly dependent on the staff.

I did not even receive the courtesy of a response to that request.

When I later went to San Remo to get her property, I was shocked to learn that most of the staff who worked with her daily weren't even told about her passing. The staff is great in my opinion, but management needs a lesson in humanity, courtesy, customer care and basic human decency. They seem to want only the $$$$.

As a final issue, my wife had rechargeable hearing aids, but the base station charger was lost while at San Remo. Not by my wife. The cord was in her returned property, but not the USB magnetic base. I can't imagine why these were separated. I tried to check on this, asking for her former room to be checked, as well as lost and found, etc. I requested this from at least three different persons. Of course, no response. About $50 to replace it.

I cautiously recommend San Remo as a place for your loved one's recovery. Just make sure you call every day to check on them, and do not let the lack of response intimidate you. Keep trying aggressively.

Your loved one is important. I don't think the San Remo management knows or cares about that, in spite of the high-sounding words on their interminable messages while on long, long telephone holds.

The greeting--when they do answer the main number at all live-- is a joke, with a scripted answer about how they are committed to excellence, and to come to San Remo for a tour and a lunch in the dining room. Right.

Judge them on their merits and reviews. This is a far better skilled nursing facility than most, in spite of some of the issues described by me.

San Remo lives up to their mission statement which is " Committed to Excellence Always. I came into the facility skeptical about the care based off of review. Carmen, Evelyn, Kim, and Melissa went over and above with teaching me about my mothers disease process. I am forever greatful. Thank you to the nurse aides and nurses that went over and above. Fifi, Kerry, and Stephanie Johnson are great!!! I appreciate you all.

San Remo has been assume in providing care to me. I finally found a place were I could breathe easy. The staff are helpful and they have pretty much waited on me had and foot. Thank you to the nurses, CNA's, and Director of Nurses. They do so much to encourage me. They are my personal cheerleaders.