FORMAL COMPLAINT: Resident Safety and Accessibility Concerns…read more TO: Management of Las Soleras / Corporate Compliance Office FROM: Residents and Families of Las Soleras Independent Living SUBJECT: Urgent Grievance Regarding Removal of Overnight Concierge and Building Accessibility Executive Summary This letter serves as a formal grievance regarding the recent operational decision to remove the overnight concierge staff. This change has created significant safety hazards, physical barriers for residents with disabilities, and an environment of unprofessionalism that directly impacts the well-being of the Independent Living (IL) community. 1. Safety and Health Risks Since the removal of the overnight concierge, residents returning after 7:30 PM are forced to wait outside the building for "unreasonable" amounts of time. * Exposure: Leaving elderly residents outside in cold, wind, or snow is a direct health risk. * Physical Security: Expecting residents to remain outside after dark until staff becomes available creates an unsafe environment that fails to meet basic residential security standards. 2. Accessibility and ADA Considerations Management's proposed solution--providing a key to a side security door 300 feet from the main entrance--is inadequate and dismissive of the physical realities of the resident population. * Physical Barriers: Many residents, including those like my aunt with arthritis, lack the manual dexterity or strength to operate heavy security doors. * Distance: Requiring a resident (in my aunts case, with a walker) to walk 300 feet in inclement weather to an uncovered entrance, rather than using the covered, automated main sliding doors, is an unreasonable burden that ignores mobility limitations. 3. Staffing Inefficiency and Unprofessionalism The current "hope" that Medical Assistants (MAs) from the Assisted Living wing can manage the front door is failing. * Competing Priorities: MAs are rightly prioritized toward clinical care. However, this leaves IL residents stranded. * Hostile Environment: Residents have reported argumentative and dismissive comments from MAs, stating that residents "have to wait" until rounds are finished. It is unacceptable for residents to be treated as an inconvenience for attempting to enter their own home. 4. Demand for Resolution The current status quo is "ridiculous" and unsustainable. We request a formal response within five business days addressing the following: 1. Immediate Access Solution: A reliable, immediate method for residents to enter the main, covered entrance after 7:30 PM without waiting for clinical staff. 2. Staffing Re-evaluation: Reinstatement of a dedicated front-desk presence or a technological solution (such as a remote-entry system monitored by 24/7 staff) that does not rely on MAs. 3. Sensitivity Training: Addressing the unprofessional conduct of staff toward residents regarding building access. Las Soleras can, and must, do better. Independent residents may be "independent," but we are not voiceless, and we will not accept a reduction in services that compromises our safety. Miriam Cohen

"Taking Mom out of Las Soleras" It's been months, for at…read moreleast the last six months, Las Soleras has been such a negative place for my mother to be in. For not being able to get maintenance for a simple repair of a dryer hose reattachment to the wall (my husband had to do it). We couldn't even have the balcony door set back onto the sliding runners. The latest disgusting incident was (again) finding dog feces in the small movie theater room. Even if the feces wasn't there, we couldn't have stayed because the heating doesn't work and it's too cold for Mom to sit in there. Mom has told us there has been feces on the carpet before, but this was the first time I found it. And yes, I've seen the yellow stains on the carpet. Those areas smell of urine. For what we are paying in rent, including the last recent 18% rent increase, this is disgusting. No air conditioning/ heat, animal waste in common areas, enough is enough. We're done! Spectrum, you should recognize your carpet in the movie theater room.

My parents lived in both independent and assisted living, and both passed last year…read more Upper management threatened to throw my disabled, elderly parents out on the street that day by midnight if they didn't sign a document, despite being paid in full with active lease. They threatened them, and me as the POA. This incident was reported to state authorities. Wait staff is kind but horribly underpaid so turnover is very high. Assisted living staff is mixed, some attentive, some not. Often leaving folks unattended for hours. ***Do not send your family/parents to assisted living here unless you can check on them regularly and often***

Edgar and Linda are terrible people. They make fun of the residents behind their backs. They charge…read morepeople in memory care for services they never receive. A very corrupt place.

I toured many assisted living/memory care facilities prior to choosing Morning Star for my parents…read more This place is hands down the best facility I could find in Santa Fe. The patient to staff ratio is not bad, but primarily the staff actually give a care about the residents unlike so many other facilities here where it just seemed like they were just watching the clock to see when their shift was up. They do the checks on my parents every few hours like they are supposed to, and contact me the moment anything so much as a slip and fall occurs with my dad. I do think Morning Star could hire more people, because the ones they have are awesome but you can tell they are putting in more hours than they should. They all deserve raises and additional staffing to help out as far as I can see, especially the kitchen wait staff and maintenance teams. Speaking of the kitchen, they include three meals a day which is nice, and breakfast is served all day in addition to there being a little bistro area, so I don't worry about whether or not they are eating okay. They do a good job with med management and anytime a resident presses their pendant button the staff hustles over to see if they are needed. The look and overall feel of the place is just leaps and bounds above the other facilities I visited. It's very cheery, with high ceilings in the apartments and day rooms offering activities to keep the residents engaged. There is also an exercise room, movie theater, massage and pedicure rooms and on and on. In summary, if you need a place for your aging parents who refuse to leave Santa Fe I would definitely recommend Morning Star. The facilities and staff are first rate and I sleep well at night knowing they are being taken care of.

Whats with weekend warrior in the office?…read more All I did was ask questions about my relatives needs and managment raises her voice a d gets all hostile. You need a body guard when you inquire about your friend's/relative's needs. Wow, just wow. I'm appalled at the unprofessional nanner. Makes one question the level of care for a loved one.

My parents live at this property's sister location, La Secoya. Both locations recently held Covid…read morebooster and flu shot events. I thought this was awesome as many of the residents are well into their retirement years, and as such often don't make appointments for these things due to the difficulty of booking and getting to them. I came up from Phoenix to make sure my parents got theirs. When I took my dad over to the event here as he missed it when they were doing it at his property, they were almost two hours behind the start time for handing out shots and the room was packed. They hadn't even started giving out the shots yet and all the residents were sitting in close quarters during flu season waiting to get their Covid boosters and flu shots. Not exactly well thought out in my opinion. So I took my dad over to Sam's Club thinking it would be easier to get it there. At Sam's we were told they were only making appointments at about four weeks out because the vaccines weren't available yet due to shortages and we wouldn't be able to find them anywhere else in town. So we went back to El Castillo where they finally had their event in full gear and we were able to get in and out in a timely manner. Points given for being able to get the vaccines for their residents who need them the most, but points detracted for the manner in which they ran the show.

From the owner: El Castillo Retirement Residences is a senior living community located in Sante Fe, NM. We have…read morebeen a premier LifeCare Retirement Community since 1971. Our mission is to enrich the lives of older adults through community living. We are committed to the lifelong care, comfort and satisfaction of our residents. As a LifeCare community, we provide a continuum of care: Independent Living Assisted Living Nursing care on site. In exchange for an entrance fee and monthly service fees, residents are secure in knowing they may have a permanent home for the rest of their lives. Whether it's participating in El Castillo activities, enjoying a delicious meal in our lovely dining room or just sitting and reading in one of our beautifully landscaped courtyards, our residents feel safe and at home. Our proximity to the Plaza and the multitude of downtown amenities make El Castillo ideal for those who enjoy eating out, shopping and cultural events.

My 93 year old dad moved into the assisted living wing at the Legacy in January. He had a beautiful…read moreapartment overlooking the mountains on the second floor. Unfortunately, he declined quickly and passed this month. He loved interacting with the staff at Legacy who treated him with dignity and compassion and honored his sense of humor. In the last week of his life, their care and concern for my dad's comfort was extraordinary. Because of his medical needs, we supplemented his care with caregivers from eagis during day. However, during the last week of his life, the Legacy staff checked in on him every 30 minutes during the night. The staff also asked my brother and I if we needed anything.

Legacy has left us with such a bad taste. Continuous turn over in staff which there is no…read moreconsistent routine if the staff is in constant learners mode. Food was not good. relationships between staff was not good. From an outside perspective the Legacy needs a whole new head staff. Dangerous to keep people waiting for assistance, the one good thing the legacy is good at is looking good. They are performative with events but day to day running is negligent. Save your money this is not the place for your loved one.

Understaffed. Lax with security…read more Unfriendly to visitors. Slow to respond to residents' needs. National office impossible to reach with concerns.

Brookdale Santa Fe provides excellent care to my mom! I can't say enough about the staff. They are…read moreamazing!

In 2011. when Dad needed assisted care, I found Beehive Homes in Albuquerque, a small facility of…read moreabout 15 residents. The place was great, except that it was 65 miles away and every time I had to take Dad to a doctor's appointment it was an all day event for me. During his stay here, the owner of the facility told me about a veteran's benefit I might get for Dad. He then told me he could pay for a lawyer (!) to file the case with VA. Dad got the VA pension because of Michael and Beehive Homes. It took a while to get the pension, even with the lawyer doing most of the work. During that time, I ran out of funds and moved Dad to Pacifica Rosemont. What a mistake! This was an enormous facility that you could get lost in, even without dementia. The staff were sparse but well meaning, but it was a bad deal all around. When Dad's VA pension started coming in, I moved him to the Santa Fe Beehive Homes which was way more expensive than the "big box" facility but you know, you get what you pay for. Again, the people at Beehive Homes went out of their way to help me get Dad's long term care insurance payments. Manager Kelly Hanlin, filled out a plethora of paperwork and faxes and phone calls to help me. I cannot recommend this place enough. These people are caring, honest, and go out of their way to do the right thing. In my book, that's perfection.

My father has been at beehive for two years. I can't recommend them highly enough. The staff is…read moreconsistent and caring and they treat their guests with respect. Excellent end of life care. It is a well run operation. I wish they had an enclosed outside area but I hear that is coming. Wonderful staff. My parents have both been in other facilities in Santa Fe and Taos and beehive is the best. It is small and family like with private rooms with private bathrooms. Director is very accommodating.

Carolyn Moore and her staff are simply very smart at what they do for our seniors. They are the…read moremost caring & kind folks I know. They have provided services to many of our local seniors in their homes and in local senior care living facilities. Carolyn is also an active member of the SF Rotary Club and on several non-profit boards. I hightly recommend Nurses With Heart Home Care!

I cared for an elderly friend of mine who needed 24/7 assistance. I hired Nurses with Heart to…read morecare for her, so I knew she would have someone constantly with her to feed, bathe, clothe, and take care of all her needs. She was in her 90's, and had dementia. Not only was Nurses with Heart there to make sure she lived her best life during her final years, they were there until the end, and I do mean end. I got the call at 3am in the morning that my friend had passed. Not only did the owner of Nurses with Heart meet me there, she let her caregiver go home, and stayed with me until the funeral home assistants arrived. Carolyn Moore the owner, myself, and the two funeral assistants carried my friend down to the stretcher because the elevator to her apartment in the assisted living facility was too small to accomodate the stretcher. No one at the assisted living facility could be found to help. It was quite a journey, believe me from beginning to end, and Carolyn was there all the way. If you are looking for a company that truly cares, has compassion, great caregivers, and does exactly what they say they will do, you will want Nurses with Heart to care for your loved ones. Carolyn and co-owner Alise are fantastic! Santa Fe and Los Alamos are fortunate to have them in their communities.

The worst experience I've ever had in my entire life. The facility is filthy, the shower has so…read moremuch mold between the tiles, there's not enough staff help the people, the food they serve is un edible. Do not pick this as your destination somewhere to live.

Ashley from Social Services made the intake and discharge process extremely difficult for my…read morefamily. The front desk lady helped my family more than she did.

Loosing someone close can be an experience too hard for only one to bare. Having a resource that…read moreprovides love, support and comfort during these times is irreplaceable. Enchanted sky hospice was this resource for me and my family. I have used Enchanted sky hospice twice in the past 5 years. First with my mom's boyfriend. Then shortly after, with my mom. I can say unequivocally , that the services Enchanted Sky provides are exceptional. Some of the best if not the best you can find in New Mexico. Everyone from management , RN , Nurses and Chaplains showed exceptional care , compassion and knowledge. I will be forever grateful for the love and support we received from everyone, at Enchanted Sky Hospice. Thank you

They were never in conact with me regarding the status or health of my loved one…read more Their focus was on giving platitudes to the nursing home administrators. My family member was in constant pain and suffered. They advertise 24/7 service, but fail to be seen at anytime. Do not use this miserable, uncaring and cold business. They are finance motivated not care motivated. What they advertise is not what they deliver.