Bonaventure of Billings

I used to have a job where I traveled most of the week when I moved my mother in. Little did I know I was only creating a part-time job for myself. Bonaventure is a beautiful community but that is it the services are terrible. I don't have unreasonable expectations but Bonaventure is a place of never ending problems. (note that I am using the present tense as I am currently waiting for a call as to why they have withdrawn money out of my mothers account two and a half months after she has moved out.)

It all started when I had to work in Cody overnight after my Mothers eye surgery. I moved her in just for two days to try it out. The bedspread and floor had sticky stuff on them. They apologized and changed the bedding. There was supposed to be a t.v. in the room but it was not placed until the next day. That morning as I was driving to Cody I debated stopping in to me how my Mother was doing knowing it would make me late for work once again. I stopped. Thank goodness because they had failed to give my mother her prescription eye drops the night before and that morning. I was going to take my mother with me but the sales lady and a regional manager responded appropriately calling in staff for a meeting and telling me that it should not have happened etc. Needless to say I was hours late to work. Next I decided to move my mother in as I was hesitant before because they had a year lease which they got rid of. There were people from their corporate offices in the building and my mother had forgotten her checkbook so I said we would come back the next day. The director did not work on Saturdays but said she would have to come in special as no one else could sign the contract I felt so bad I told her to pick the time even though I wanted to do it first thing as I had only the weekend before I had to leave town again. The director picked 3:00 in the afternoon. So we show up at 2:30 hoping to get an early start and much to my dismay the director was not there and would not be coming in. The nice sales lady went over the contract which was her first and she could not answer all of the questions I had and ended up trying to call the director who did not answer her phone over the course of two hours. No problem I just didn't sign those parts of the contract and notes were made that I had questions. I moved my mother in. The room had been cleaned but had tons of flies on the sills and in the light fixtures. There were some minor problems which I took photos of and wrote in their repair book. ( Door jam broken, piece of laminate missing on lip of counter etc.) It took over 3 months for any of them to be attended to and in the five months some were never repaired. They had to fly someone out from Washington state for a few weeks as the maintenance man in Billings was so far behind.

Getting back to the contract I had been expecting a call from the director about the contract but heard nothing and as I was traveling a lot it was about two weeks before I ran into her. She said she did not know that my mother had moved in...I was taken aback because I asked her about some of my questions about the contract and told her I did not have a copy and would like one. I told her I could not remember if my mother had signed up for a second meal. I did not end up getting one until about three months later when I requested it again in a more forceful manner. The director had the receptionist give it to me and much to my surprise the amount was crossed out and a higher number was put in and the director had initialed it. I was stunned the director was behind closed doors with someone and since I knew I was going to lose it I went outside and yelled at the home office on my cell phone. It turns out the cost of a second meal had been added. Maybe we had signed up maybe not because the date was clearly changed too. Regardless doesn't contract 101 include not changing a contract unless both people sign? OY! The whole time my mother had only been eating one meal. I let it go as the lawyer suggested it wasn't worth the heart/headache.

Now about the food. When we first visited we were invited to lunch where they sat us down gave us a menu we ordered off of and introduced us to the chef. As I mentioned I travel a lot but still went to check on my mother several times a week mostly on the weekends and night after the office staff was gone for the day. My mother would complain about the food but I dismissed it to her being a picky eater. She said they only had two choices and I would tell her to order off of the menu. She said they did not have menus which I thought was due to her memory problem. I made a point to get off work early enough to have dinner with her and sure enough none of the staff knew about the menu. So on the weekend I spoke to the nice sales lady (the only person I could find who addressed issues.)if it was my imagination she said no it was not and went to look for menus. It turns out that the staff in the kitchen had turned over and none of them knew of the menu you could order off of. Oh and I had to express my concern because the glasses on the table one day were all smudged with greasy fingerprints even at tables that were empty and had not been used. Also the s&p shakers were dirty and sticky.

Next on my list was the lack of housekeeping. My mother's room was not being cleaned nor the laundry being done which is included in the exorbitant rent. Now I did like the lady who was supposed to clean but my mother who likes to sleep in was telling her not to. Once I addressed this issue it was taken care of for the most part but with a C grade.

The problem is that there is no welcoming handbook that tells you about the services so even though they tell you all of these thing when you are moving in it is not in writing. My mother did not have a phone for about a month even though I repeatedly asked for one it wasn't until I took more time off to be there during office hours. Everyone was in a meeting even the receptionist and there was a line at the desk They sent out the activity director to help people I asked about the phone and went to ask the director. She came back out and told me it would be about three days. I lost it and called the home office in Salem and it was turned on in about three minutes.

Let's see then there was the time my mother asked to see the nurse because she thought she broke her toe....they told her to go downstairs to see if she was there....do I need to say more?

I was told by the regional manager that if my mother did not come down for any meals that someone would check on her. I doubted anyone did and would routinely take my mother out the back without checking her out one time for 4 days no one at Bonaventure ever called me wondering where she was. Ever.

The brochure said they have a sundry store. They don't. The hairdresser was closed most of the time finally they opened one day a week that I know of. The movie theater was not utilized very much. I bought my mother some DVD'S and she and some of her friends would watch. They do play bingo a lot and have wine and beer get togethers every week. Some of the ladies like to crafts or puzzles but for most activities there is no one to rally people for activities. I taught my mother to play air hockey and she loved it but she never had anyone to play with.

Oh I forgot the same problem I had with the phone I had with the post office box I had to take time off of work to get that done. And for the fob that lets you in after the doors are locked.

It took me awhile to figure out a solution so my mother could move back in with me. I haven't given up on communities (My Mom does miss the friends she made.) but next time I will thoroughly investigate and I know what to look for and what questions to ask When I knew I was moving my mother out I put it in writing and also put in writing they were not to use the automatic withdrawal anymore and I would pay the last month by check. That was back in Feb. Now it is April and I noticed that there is a withdrawal on my mother's account from Bonaventure.....I was transferred twice, left a message and still had not heard back after over an hour. Called again talked to someone who said they would investigate it. Still waiting... I'll give you an update.

by Liz Tool, Apr 2013

I would suggest people do their research- look at ripoff reports on the whole company and look at how many job openings they have on career builders. Poor management, they lie to get your loved on in and they are only about the money. It broke my heart because it's hard enough to have to find a place for your mother and then to have them prey on your emotions is sick. Don't give them any information in the phone call or they will set up bridge games when you tour and your mother will never see another one when she lives there. I moved my mom to Highgate and she is happy.

by Brenda Southern, Oct 2012