I'm writing this review after the passing of my parent, who was a patient of Buena Vista…read more Throughout my family's experience with Buena Vista Home Health, we experienced glaring failures that I feel responsible to warn other families and patients about. The care that my parent received (and didn't receive) fell short of the prompt, coordinated, and compassionate standard that Buena Vista claims. Here are the issues that deeply upset my family: 1. ***Schedule changes and communication failures*** My parent was admitted to hospice with terminal cancer on a Thursday. We needed help with medications, at-home care, and so much more guidance. Our hospice nurse Deneshia rescheduled her initial visit TWICE so that my parent wasn't seen until Monday. For a patient at the end of life, every delayed visit is time that cannot be recovered. Repeated rescheduling of an initial hospice assessment is unacceptable and reflects a breakdown in staffing, prioritization, or accountability. When Deneshia came to deliver medical supplies, she framed the visit as if she were "doing us a favor," noting that she was "only supposed to come once a week." In reality, that visit was to deliver supplies that we should have received at admission. Presenting the correction of Buena Vista's own delay as a favor to our family was inappropriate and added to our sense that my parent's care was not being prioritized. 2. ***Medication delays and errors*** Prescribed medications were delayed or entered incorrectly, and critically, my parent's Ativan was not delivered until the night before they passed. For a hospice patient, timely access to comfort medications is not a convenience; it is the core of the service provided by hospice. Buena Vista Home Health was not proactive in coordinating with my parent's physicians and pharmacy to ensure medications were in the home where they were needed. This delay caused avoidable distress at the most vulnerable point in my parent's life, and it should have never happened under hospice supervision. 3. ***Missing standard supplies at admission*** When the admitting nurse Brian completed the assessment visit, he noted that the initial care bag contained only bare materials. Standard supplies that should have been provided at the outset but were missing until the following week included: -Shampoo and body wash -Cleaning supplies -Foam dressings -Calazime -Urinals My family and I got so frustrated waiting for these supplies that we ordered them ourselves online. The absence of foam dressings and Calazime was especially concerning given the risk of pressure injuries in a bed-bound patient. These are baseline items that a well-run hospice program should have delivered on day one, not days into service. 4. ***Shifting clinical responsibilities to my family*** Our hospice nurse Deneshia shifted responsibility onto me, rather than taking it on herself. The only time she ever physically touched my parent was during her introduction and to take vitals. She never demonstrated how to perform any aspect of my parent's care. Deneshia repeatedly referred to our family as the "primary nurses" and to herself as "secondary." I find this framing troubling. If the family is expected to serve as the primary caregivers, then the hospice nurse's role in supporting, teaching, and demonstrating care becomes even more essential--not less. I happen to be a nurse, but the standard of hospice care cannot depend on whether a family has a trained healthcare worker in it. Had I not been present, I am left to wonder what care my parent would have actually received. I asked Deneshia to provide a list of my parent's medications and how specifically to administer them. I never received a medication list or instructions. I am shocked that Deneshia tried to explain the mechanism of COPD to me when my parent did not have COPD. Any education that a hospice nurse provides should be specific and relevant to the patient in front of them, not generic information that does not apply to their patient's care. Between this, the lack of hands-on care, and the absence of any real teaching, I'm left questioning what purpose the hospice nurse served at all. 5. ***Responsiveness at the time my parent's passing*** On the morning of my parent's passing, I found my parent pulseless and not breathing. My family called Deneshia three times without any answer. When Deneshia finally returned the call, her tone conveyed that our calls were an inconvenience to her. Her tone only shifted when we informed her that my parent had passed. After I informed Buena Vista of these failures, their response was to offer their apologies and to let my family know that they would incorporate our grievances into their clinical education. I share these experiences because I don't want another family to endure what mine did.

Kind, caring and experienced. Very responsive. They were so instrumental in supporting my mom and…read moreI. Thank you so much Buena Vista!

If I could give this organization a 10 I would…read more Placing a loved one in hospice is so difficult. You question whether you are doing the right thing. These hospice nurses however, are the kindest, most gentle, and loving people I have ever met. Mark, Jhewel, and Carmelita were ALWAYS there when I needed them. Whenever I called, a real person ALWAYS answered-even on the weekends, after hours, whenever! Honestly, hand to heart, these people are angels on earth and I feel incredibly blessed that my mom and I were able to experience such love and kindness during her last days. She passed less than a week ago but I think because of their work I can bear the loss much better.

I wish I could find the perfect way to thank the Hospice Care of the Valley and the whole TEAM…read more Michelle- thank you for making everything so fast and smooth- arranging the transition of my uncle from hospital to hospice care. Jhewel- you are a real GEM! Thank you for being supportive, caring and extending your hand and heart to my uncle and the whole family. Thank you for answering my phone calls especially during the most difficult times and for reassuring me. And lastly, thank you for making my uncle very comfortable during his last hour of his life. I will always be grateful to your kindness and big heart. Mark- thank you so much! You were very supportive to my aunt and she really appreciates your kindness! Nelson- thank you for being there during the final hours of my uncle. My family appreciates your great service, kindness and great knowledge. Sylvia- thank you for all your help and support! I highly recommend Hospice Care of the Valley.

My father was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's. This place was highly recommended so we…read morechecked it out. It was very nice, clean and ideal. The owner worked with our budget and we moved my father in. He was there for 5 months until he passed away (from August 2014 to January 2015). The staff was EXCELLENT and I really mean EXCELLENT. There was enough caretakers on hand to help with the people that were living there. My Dad was extremely well taken care of. When the social workers came out to check on him, they even indicated that he was in good hands and was being well taken care of. If you are new in finding a place for an elderly who needs round the clock care, be careful of the big private companies. There is 1 caretaker for about 10 or more people. This is bad news because I've seen and heard of people getting hurt and major damage occurring where the clean up and repair doesn't come for hours at a time. I highly recommend this place. Your loved one will be in good hands-- from the owner to the caretakers. They wear there hearts on their sleeves and take great care of the elderlies.

The house manager, Rhandy, took care of my FIL. The stars go down, because the owner, Cherisse,…read morelied about owing a refund, and has not paid what the licensing board determined she owed. When a person has passed, the board and care must give a prorated refund to the family. Legal actions are being sought.

Every minute we needed assistance, this hospice provided it- from the nurses to the equipment to…read morethe prescription drugs. They remained there right up until the very end and even after my loved ones passed away. Through an extremely trying moment, their personnel continued to exhibit the most compassion and delicacy around a very difficult time. My family and I are extremely grateful with their team of doctors and nurses for the kind, loving and caring treatment. Because of all the dignity retained in the final stages of my father's life, I can confidently state that my dad can rest in peace in paradise. While not everyone would find this ideal, given that this is a part of life, I highly recommend this hospice for your families needs.

From the owner: Ohana in Hawaii means family, and family means no one should be forgotten or left…read morebehind. That is why, with Ohana Hospice we strive to become a family that cares. Our mission is to provide safe and effective care to our patients in response to their terminal illness, focused on comfort measures and symptoms management to promote comfort, pain free and dignity that they truly deserve and to support and help the members of the family as an advocate. We fulfill our duties and obligations as a core group to promote and to provide the best care as possible. We take in consideration the decisions and wishes of our patients and their families for a complete satisfaction.

I'ld like to see this group raise their rating (for various reasons) so I expressed, journaling…read moreabout them when Marta dropped everything to come out. Communication with the doctor and home health didn't happen because I didn't know or convey side effects to the following: Do not use newfangled digital machines on everything! They are not tried and true and nothing like old fashioned methods. I talked, conveying concern to family members these were not good..turned, souring making injuries and a health trip to the hospital after home health had to remedy streaks from wounds! Tell your doctor they've done studies. Just say that was a bad move. Let's not try that again causing streaks! Next, I provided, asking to cover one of the wounds with a sticky band aid on hand! Bad mistake for home health because it went beyond blistering and caused panic! After getting The Wound Pros they said do it one way and I forgot and no one fully understood the potential of the wounds again! But it happened! Lastly, and no one could have anticipated and individuals don't need to know the details of repeated hospital admissions and rehab -- even a gentle alternative was too much for the wounds but through home health they got this patient moving again.

Over my years as a nursing facility administrator, I have worked with a variety of hospice…read morecompanies. During that time I have had quite of bit of good experience and partnership with Assisted Hospice. They communicate with us regularly which helps provide the best care to our shared patients. Their staff are friendly and knowledgeable amd very understanding about how life's final act impacts both the patient and their family. And, most importantly, their staff are compassionate and gentle when they provode care. Thank you, Assisted, for helping our residents "finish strong" as the curtain drops on amazing lives.

The Hospice Nurses, Special (awesome name) and Brenda were wonderful. They took great care of our…read moreMom to keep her comfortable and out of pain until her Passing. They also kept in constant contact with us as well. Management made sure we had everything we needed. Thank you for everything!

My mother-in-law was cared for by Blue Butterfly for almost a year while living in a nursing home…read more I fully admit I was not an easy customer. I had many questions and often called several times a week or even a day. The staff was always completely helpful and courteous, never making me feel like I was being a pain and always getting me answers right away. They were always on top of my mother in law's needs and increased visits any time something was a concern. Beyond that, when I had concerns about her health they would send out a nurse, often within the hour, to check on her and report back to me. Nino was incredible helpful and would get back to me immediately every time I called. It was such a reassurance during a very difficult time. Jason was the nurse who would visit, often three times a week. Knowing I wanted more detailed information than most people, he would send me pictures of his reports, text me every time he visited, call when things were more complicated, and always stoped to talk when he saw me visiting, even if it wasn't his day to see her. He became a confidant and someone I felt truly comfortable asking the hard questions. He really treated my mother in law like family and always showed her respect, even when he came the day she passed to declare time of death. Without any hesitation, I would recommend Blue Butterfly to a friend. They are professional, caring, and reliable. They saved us thousands of dollars and so much stress.

As a Gerontologist, serving the aging community for the past 17 years, I have the privilege to help…read morepeople with altering diagnoses that transcend into palliative and hospice. Aleksandra Dubina has surpassed the Gold standard of hospice care with the highest level of service for end of life. Compassionate caring staff are selected with grace and gratitude for the best possible care. Highly recommend. 10/10

When the difficult times comes, you want to give a best comfort and care to your loved ones. And in…read morethis time is very hard to make a choice who to go with and have a peace of mind that your loved ones are in a good hands. I've made a huge mistake, chose and agency that owned by a friend of a friend who I know, and had a nightmare for 5 full days ( the only easy part was a sign up), other than that, I felt that for them my Mom is a "piece" to make money with. Thankfully, I've been referred to Alexandra ( at that time I didn't even knew the name of the agency). From the first conversation with her that took an hour and she wanted to know everything about my mom, her situation and about our family, I felt very comfortable, I felt that she cares about people who gets under her care. I've decided to make a transfer from the "nightmare agency " to her. And it's been the best decision I've made. Transfer was very smooth and easy , she answered every phone call and text, was concerned about every single detail. When the transfer was completed, I had nurse coming to the house within an hour. He spent a good 40 min with me and mom, making sure he didn't miss anything about her health and condition. Next day, I had everyone on my mom team calling me, and with every single person I came in contact with, it was very easy to communicate, I felt warmth and compassion. Every question and concern I had was addressed. I called Alexandra and told her that, and thank her for having such an incredible team. And I came into a peace myself, feeling that I don't have to frustrated anymore with getting help, and can concentrate on spending my time with mom. I'm a business owner my self working directly with clients, and always believing that yes we are in business to make a living, but your client or patient come first. And that is what I'm experiencing so far with Alexandra and her team.

Angels On Tracy is a diamond in the rough. Not only is the facility above and beyond expectations…read morebut the staff goes to great lengths to ensure all residents are taken care of. I would highly recommend them over and over again.

We placed a family member with Alzheimer's at Angels II after being assured that the home could…read moreappropriately care for her. Unfortunately, the placement lasted only two days, and we determined that the home could not safely meet her needs. We paid a total of $6,834: $334 for the two days of care, $5,000 for the upcoming month of care and a $1,500 nonrefundable community fee. Although our family member never returned after those two days and therefore received none of the care covered by the $5,000 monthly payment, Angels II retained the entire amount. We understood that the contract contained a 30-day notice provision, so rather than demand a full refund, we later wrote to the owner and asked her to consider refunding $2,500--half of the monthly payment--as a reasonable compromise. Her response was to send us a letter by UPS along with a check for 67 cents. The letter also stated that Angels II had previously issued us a $3,500 refund of the community fee. That is not what occurred. The contract listed a $5,000 community fee, but the owner told us that she charged $1,500, which is exactly what we paid. We never paid the additional $3,500 and never received a $3,500 refund. The owner believes she is contractually entitled to retain the entire monthly payment. We understand what the contract says. However, besides feeling that we were taken advantage of by paying more than $6,800 for a stay that lasted only one night, we were also concerned about our family member's safety. She was able to leave the home unsupervised and make her way to a next-door neighbor's house. For a family entrusting the care of a vulnerable person with Alzheimer's to a residential care home, this was extremely concerning. Based on our experience, we cannot recommend Angels II and would strongly advise families considering this home to look elsewhere.

Compassionate team from nurses, md, sw, sc, and chha. Patient is always prioritized and cared for…read more Thank you Good Heart hospice team.

From the owner: Hospice Care at No Cost to You! Free Consultation - Call (805) 422-3009…read more Our hospice care is dedicated to providing you with dignified care that promotes quality of life, comfort and convenience. We respect your personal healthcare and treatment decisions and strive to support you and your family. Good Heart Hospice & Palliative Care focuses on maximizing comfort, reducing suffering and allow individuals to maintain their dignity. Nursing consultation, coordination & symptom management. Relief for family members. In-home, around the clock hospice service. All insurance types accepted.

My grandmother was admitted into Serenity Hospice Care (operating under Good Heart Hospice) and we…read morecould not have been more pleased with the staff (Kimberly, Rachelle, and Alex are amazing). They were so gentle and caring with my grandmother. They were also informative with us (the entire family) as to what was going on and what the next steps would be. I would highly recommend Harbor Hospice should you need to admit a family member in their facilities. The care to my grandmother and to us was more than what I expected.

Thanks to Serenity Hospice Care Provider, for caring for my Grandma. We were amazed how comfortable…read moreyou made her last few days. Our family will always be grateful for Serenity Hospice Care Provider. Please accept our gratitude.