Eisenhower Center - South Main

Very poor buildings most old dirty and in disrepair . Most licenses on
the wall are not up to date . They have licensed and unlicensed space
in this same building be careful .This unit is for those who are very ill
and need the most care. The clients there are great the nicest in the
place Small rooms no individual heat or cooling controls Noisy little
privacy . Staff can be very rude to unbelievably kind , helpful and
amazing . I have seen the good ones volunteer free time to help
clients and take money from their own wallets to assist them .

No supervisor is on call 24 hours a day clients can talk to in
emergency when staff is making critical mistakes in care . They have a
nurse on call but they will refuse to talk directly to clients and are
stressed overworked . Staff often get things wrong as records are lost
or not kept proper . They assume you don't know what is good for
you . Talk down to you . Present their side of events only . They may
lie its incredible but it happens everyone is scared for their job . They
run you in circles it seems discourage you from attempting to get
proper care . access to medications and Doctors . People on staff write
up events if they don't like you they may make stuff up . i have never
seen any environment like that . This is not a real assisted living
environment .

They lost mail for weeks if not permanent . I know I lost a box , you
couldn't count on their mail system . I almost didn't vote due to a
absentee ballot sitting on someones desk for weeks then they went
on vacation without forwarding it .


You have to walk outside to get to the dining room , therapies or
anywhere for anything on campus very hard in winter or rain for the
disabled . I saw clients in wheelchairs with no gloves or hat when
pushed and waiting in lines its rough for some .



Phone system is restricted and you cannot transfer internally without
going through staff . They often forget to take
messages .Communication with the outside world is difficult .

Most clients do not have their own guardianship and cant leave so
complaints are ignored and the place is not policed by normal market
forces.

They made mistakes in my billing ..you tell them and they never
correct as promised

They run out of medications over and over so and you miss doses
which can cause terrible suffering if dependent . I had medications
prescribed and never filled EVER . They changed some medications to a
medicare formulary that made no sense as medicare doesn't pay for
mine ! . As I said before they miss-billed parties . I never understood
what they were trying to do and was fighting just for my needed
medications constantly . I waited many times up to a half hour to get
meds and when your dosing 4 times a day its ridiculous . I have no
trouble handling my medications with proper safeguards like a
medication alarm and safe .

They just never tell you the rules you learn by word of mouth and
things get twisted around until you align what you learn with whats
expected .







They don't even talk these complaints out they bury them and treat
you like your inferior . They expect you to forget treatment like this
but it never gets better .

Food is healthy fare the only way you wont get fed is if your sick and
cant eat fast enough or get to food . The most prevalent activities for
clients are food, smoking and coffee . i

f your sick you have to be very visibly ill to get to a Doctor or help
otherwise they consider it a " Behavioral issue " .


Night staff watch TV and play video games at all hours and talk close
to sleeping areas . They were moving furniture and buffing adjacent
floors at 4 am . Curfews are not enforced its one thing if people cant
sleep and sit up quiet suffering with a staff member but not watching
TV or listening to radios without headphones at 3 am . Staff members
would not always help clients having trouble either . They were often
afraid of clients . I was wondering why a Doctor would send anyone
there it was very sad . Its a place families that don't want to deal with
family members or Doctors upset because their medicine isn't working
send problem patients . You don't want to go there if you dont have
too . This is not really a simple assisted living environment . Its foster
care for people with brain injuries .

They often get lost on activities or cancel them due to disorganization .
Clients are sick so its hard to load them all at once . Supervision is
very sketchy . Staff have poor driving habits and play music very
loud . Vehicles have no window access except in front seats and are
dirty ..

Personal counselors to client ratio is very high and the weakest link in
the entire place . I don't know who is supposed to police this but they
dont . In this unit currently the PC works 4 days a week is training ,
going to nursing school full time and caring for at least 30 or more
clients it just doesn't get done . There is little time for comforting one
on one sessions or none at all . Many people are not getting all they
can out of the program its sad . Especially when they want to put back
in rather then just take . Its management problems ,mistrust ,poor
communication and disorganization . The clients in South Main are
absolutely the best on Campus .

Most the staff say repeatedly they want to help you so it is very
frustrating when things are so disorganized .Most really care but if
your sick and that place has so little actual simple comforts to calm
down pain . There are no proper chairs with high backs that support
the neck and upper body anywhere until you get to the Apartment
program and then few . No couches or recliners you can lay on in most
sub units . They have no individual thermostats that work in rooms I
never could establish a routine which is so important to someone
disabled .

I was trying to do volunteer work to build a resume and they paid
me for it . Even days I didn't do it ? I felt bad it took away my
incentive . If they paid me later saying I did a good job but that's not
what occurred . There just disorganized . I didn't even get my w-2 until
March and having to call .

What made things even harder is there is no community room for the
entire complex where clients can meet people who want to do the
same things they do . Living groups are very small and often nobody
can agree on a activity . Being able to at least get out on campus ,
drink some juice , have a healthy snack , talk and play a game would
be very therapeutic . They have occasional events but they need a
permanent coffee or juice bar for those that made all there therapies
daily to meet friends from other units without invading the living
spaces which are very small with small TV rooms only . There was
nothing much there for me recreational because I couldn't transport
out in crowded vans which their program depends on .


I never saw a Doctor monthly or the same one and was called by the
wrong name at times by them . Had to fight to get my annual flue
shot . No plan of care was ever put together for when I transferred out
after 90 days . I never could take being transported by their staff in
crowded vehicles . If your stable and are looking for a place where
you can smoke , drink coffee and get to a few outings a week you
may like this place if your indigent and cant do it on your own . You
will make allot of new friends . Otherwise pass . They reported my
temperature as 88 degrees at a performance review . They had to be
joking but its not funny when your very ill suffering . Either way its
scary . They keep saying their not doing this stuff on purpose . Who
sane would report a persons average temperature for the month as
88 degrees ? I never did feel safe there . I saw people fall and did
myself when it could of been prevented . Staff would run inside when it
was cold leaving clients trailing to fend for themselves .They just are
not client friendly with constancy not that they don't have some great
staff . There is no supervision by management to instill it proper
customer care . They truly don't understand in upper management
what is going on there and middle management is buried covering up
they cant keep up doing the job of 5 people juggling school , families
and careers while trying to keep the place floating .

I will update as I still am involved with them if things change . I keep
hoping as being part of a therapeutic community was my dream for
years . The reality was devastating I expected a place like Bing
Crosby Boys and Girls town . Keep the faith . This is not a assisted
living its a behavioral institute for people with brain injuries and place
where they evaluate people for lifetime care . What a shame so many
talented people . There are some wonderful stories so maybe now
others will write some and give them better marks .

They throw a nice Christmas Party but i would rather have a better
community year round.

— Verified visitor, Mar 2009