Transitions LifeCare was an amazing facility. The staff, from start to finish, were genuine and cared for my husband and all family and friends they came into contact with wonderfully. They listened to me and respected all of my wishes for my husband's care. They spent time with our family and listened to our stories. They were very quick to respond to all of the calls I made for nursing care. They kept my husband comfortable and free of pain in his last days. The nurses explained everything that would happen to my husband as his time drew near. It was really a comfort to my three teenage kids. When my husband passed they explained how they would prepare his body and gave us all the time and space we all needed. The room they provided to our family was large, clean, and well stocked with chairs, pillows and blankets. The social worker, chaplain, and nurses checked on us periodically to address any needs that may have arisen. We made the best decision by choosing Transitions LifeCare. read more

What I've come to understand about hospice orgs is that they seem to attract nurses who may be burned out from other jobs. This results in transactional care, checking off boxes to comply with Medicare but a lack of genuine compassion for the patient. (hospice enrollment recommendations below) Hospice affords more normal hours than working at a hospital. However, the trade off is probably that the nurses may have to drive 100 miles a day all over the county to serve patients. It's a crap shoot when it comes to the nurse case manager (weekly nurse) you get based on when you enroll in hospice care. And it's a crap shoot for the nurses too, who gets assigned to them. (see #4 below) Transitions was recommended to me by someone I trusted. I didn't know what I didn't know but my initial instinct during the first transaction with the intake nurse seemed off to me. She didn't listen, was not paying attention to what I said (about my Mom's care needs) and not educating us on how we should be looking at the whole hospice experience, especially medication management. We lasted a month and a half before I went to another company. The whole point of hospice is having continuity of care. The nurse case manager kept scheduling other nurses to come in her place which consequently caused us to have to orient a new nurse almost every week. Recommendations for Hospice Enrollment and Ongoing Management 1) Trust your instincts if your first interactions with the hospice org aren't stellar. Unless your family member is very close to death you probably have time to interview another company. 2) How medication is administration is explained and distributed (by mail or pharmacy pick up) is critical. 3) Understand that the first several intake people who call or visit may not be the regular providers you will be seeing. They have to check boxes for Medicare so they may only be marginally helpful. 4) The Clinical Manager who manages schedules and nurse performance is THE most critical role in the process. This person MUST be a great problem-solver, compassionate, caring, understanding and a good listener. Spend time up front describing your loved one's personality, likes and dislikes to hopefully get the best match possible nurse case manager (weekly nurse). 5) Once you get through the initial process, if you don't like the hospice care you're getting it's fairly easy to transition to another company (assuming you have POA for your loved one). 6) Make sure your POA and Healthcare POA are updated. If you had documents drafted years ago, they may not be specific enough for today's requirements. 7) If you have a life alert system you can give the hospice company number to the life alert system company so 9-1-1 won't get called in an emergency. 8) LPN's have more authority with medications than RN's but Medicare requires RN's to visit at least once every other week. 9) Hospice nurses understand that the closer to the end of life someone is, the less interested in eating they will be. Also, people at the end of life will sleep more. So keep track of eating and sleeping because the nurses will be most interested in that in addition to pain management. 10) Document changes in health in advance of nurse visits even if it's jotting small notes on a calendar because over time all the days blend together. read more

I'm a spiritual person who believes everything happens for a reason. When we learned on May 28th that there was nothing more the hospital could do to prolong my dad's life, I knew in my spirit that I wanted him to be at Transitions. I had never been to Transitions before. My only connection was through my daughter's mother, whose grandfather had been there, and her family spoke highly of their experience. Initially, we were told my dad's condition wasn't imminent enough to qualify, so he was sent home and were under the care of another hospice agency with very nice people. However, once my dad's condition began to decline, I knew we needed to make some readjustments, and I am so thankful that we were able to allow for my dad's journey to end with Transitions. I cannot say enough about the level of care, consideration, and bedside manner. I can't say enough about the support they offered my family during this difficult season in our lives. This is a no-brainer recommendation. If you have a family member whose time on Earth is coming to an end and you're looking for a place where you can feel comfortable knowing they're being taken care of, then you really don't need to look any further. read more

Terrible experience with Home Hospice. I think they are incompetent and scattered - and running around in circles . His nurse ignored his verbal discomfort because she was too busy showing me photos on her phone of her vacation. Their admitting nurse who should t diagnose did so anyway and it was wrong. They did not treat my husband's terrible rash for two months , only saying " keep it cool" ridiculous as he was always on his back. I could go on and on. They discharged him after fiurmonthsas they didn't see him declining--- he died a month later. And then they called SEVEN MONTHS LATER checking on him! Do not subject your loved one to this place. read more

Incredible care for my mother. The staff was gentle and attentive, for her and our family. Volunteers were fabulous: one offered to play a gentle guitar song, one gave her a massage. The Walk Of Honor was so very touching. Grief counseling is offered. They were amazing, on all fronts. read more

Doctor from Transitions visited our family at Wake Med giving contradictory information to family members. Then family member went home on hospice. Bad feeling about company unfolded. Numerous missteps. Then the final insult to injury... It's soul-crushing when the on-call nurse from Transitions calls on Monday to follow up on a report she received that day about your loved one's increased nausea and pain--not knowing that your loved one died the previous Friday. read more

Please - do not go here unless you are prepared to watch your loved one suffer. It's not that all nurses were bad - they are fatigued and beaten down. The director at the time (who I think is gone now) told me, "we believe dying is a process like being born" - being born takes a day or two. My mother was there for well over 2 weeks (when it was implied it would be a couple of days), medicated, and clearly in pain. There was nothing you could say to anyone to get any help. You just got the same mantra, "it is hard work to die" - many believe in this philosophy and if you do, go here. If you want your loved one to get care which greatly minimizes suffering, this is not the place for you or your loved one. I cannot prove it - but I think the longer the patient languishes, the more they can charge Medicare. I am not blaming every person at this place as I am sure there are worse. But it was nothing like other hospices I have seen throughout the years. They put her in a bed, put something into the back of her head to give medications, and rarely looked in on her. She was often agitated and trying to mumble. I could tell she was in pain. It was just heartbreaking. The doctor who came to her home prior to placement was a wonderful young doctor - he was never to be seen again at the hospice - something else I did not expect. He was more of a "referral" person who signed paperwork to get her there - that was the end of that. I truly believe if he had done daily rounds - it would have been an entirely different experience. Also - the room smelled horrific as well starting at around day 3 or 4. read more

As my children's Mother was actively dying, Transitions kept her in a large, clean, private room just off the front lobby area. This meant quick access (only a few steps) once in the building. Attendants were unobtrusive, quiet and clean. At that point, they asked no questions and gave clear, quiet answers to questions asked. The patient, my ex, was clean and well groomed. There were no discernable odors in the building including my ex's room. The building and room was ventilated very nicely. All in all, Transitions is a good place for a family and their loved one to meet life's final challenge. read more

I cannot say enough good things about the team at Transitions LifeCare for making my family member's final days peaceful and calm. From the moment we were engaged with them, both our social workers and nursing care teams went above and beyond to provide the absolute best care possible not only to my parent but also the surviving family. I would like to give special thanks to our social work team Maggie and Tara and nursing care team Susie and Grace. Thank you for helping in our time of need. read more

As fast as my fathers condition took him, while he was in Transitions LifeCare, he had many many visitors. While staying with him the nights he was there, his night Nurse Denise especially touched my heart with her genuine kindness and care for not only my father but my brother and I. This wonderful woman absolutely made a positive difference in our time going through the loss of our father. read more

they told us that they could deliver the furniture that day and it would be there between 4 and 8 PM after 8 PM. We start calling to see where the furniture was at because nobody had called. However, someone did call my mother who was the patient on hospice who was very confused about what was going on. I had contacted them and was assured that this was to pick up equipment that she had at her house for oxygen not for the hospice care in the equipment. after 10 o'clock we called again after 11 o'clock. We called again. The furniture was not delivered to our house until after 2 o'clock in the morning and the furniture that was delivered was definitely not the correct size bed that my mom needed for the size that she was. my mom was delivered transport wonderful thank goodness for transport provide us with supplies due to the fact that I worked there. The hospice intake nurse came right behind. She was left with a lack of desire from her as she had sat down with us, and I thought that she was going to come a lot of our nerves and take off a sense of overwhelming from us. That was far from what happened. She seem to have an attitude and asked to see the DNR. I stayed at the DNR was placed above my mom's bed and thought that when she goes into assess her as I have been told that she would that she would see the DNR and market then she did not go into my mom's room and she actually made me go in there and get the DNR off the wall and bring to her so she could see it. She didn't take a picture of it or anything else. She just wanted to see it. she sat at the table for maybe a total of 15 minutes with us and didn't even go over all of my mom's medication's with me just said here's a list you need to look over them I stated that I was very overwhelmed and very confused what I do with her medication's even with me working healthcare that I was not healthcare right now that I was a daughter and I was very confused. She looked at me like I was crazy and stayed all you gotta do is follow the paper. I'm gonna send him some other medication's. We're gonna send him some morphine and some Ativan for her as well for her to take when needed. I was very confused. What medication I needed to give, and when to give it. she would be in contact with us tomorrow to go over medication and what we need and what we didn't need. She stated that she would take vitals of my mom I stayed at we do not want vital signs taken and she said I understand and then left. we contacted Walgreens to find out the medication had never been sent over. We had a contact hospice again and then Walgreens again and then hospice again to get the medication sent over there. Seem to be a very lack of communication with these people. Every time you call you, got somebody different too, which was very overwhelming. The next day nobody showed up we end up having to call and was confused about the medication. Had a call again because nobody called back. Stated that the patient was declining and didn't want they even cared. They finally sent somebody out after I begin to fuss and they told me that I could pay out-of-pocket to have supplies delivered state that I really did not have the money and wasn't experiencing my mom to go this fast for me to have to pay for stuff like that. Somebody finally came out and she was great she delivers. She was very nice. Didn't have an experience as far as anybody coming out and do a long visit with us to help us with everything we were asking about a social worker all that we were told that we were get.nobody ever came out and would come within a couple of weeks I stated she would not last a couple weeks if she don't even last a couple of days. We never received the bed within the three days before my mom passed away. We felt very overwhelming was doing all the caretaking for my mom and was kind of thrown to the wolves and not told how to do anything. We were very lucky that we had medical experience but if you did not have medical experience, I don't know how you would take care of your loved one with the lack of care and comfort or or anything that they did. When my mom passed away, we called them a little after 11 pm and tell them that she had passed away, it took my husband call him back again to see where they were at and two hours later they arrived. The nurse was not very friendly and actually fussed at us about a dog in the house. We had to take a dog outside. She did not say how sorry she was for our loss or anything else. She actually argue with me about the time of death because of the fact it took two hours read more

I would like to commend Transitions on the care they gave my mom Alice at Hillside Nursing and Rehab. A special thank you to Rama, my mom's nurse who called me to tell me of my mom's passing. Compassionate and humble are the words I would use to describe her. Thank you to the entire team who guided me and my family as my mom made her transition. Thank you Hillside for the care you gave my mom over the past 3 yrs. Thank you to the spiritual counselor, to the social worker and to the many who work behind the scene...You made it so much easier... read more

This place is beyyyyond excellent at what they do. The staff is kind and compassionate. They poured love into every interaction, from the moment we arrived with my grandmother to the moment we left. I cannot express my family's gratitude enough! Special shout out to Diane and Laverne, but the whole staff truthfully are angels on Earth! read more

When we moved to NC we had no idea how traumatic it would end up being. My father was diagnosed stage 4 Pancreatic cancer and his Oncologist could do nothing for him and recommended hospice. A neighbor recommended Transitions. What a joke. I have always been under the belief that hospice is made of angels who help a family transition a member to the end with grace and dignity. This is NOT the place if you feel the same. They appeared nice at the intake..but that would be the last humanity you will see. My father died on Friday in more pain and discomfort than any human should...all with ZERO hospice presence. There were no aides to help my mother and I change him. No RN to help with pain management or to make suggestions to a physician about his pain. They had told us that when he passed we shouldn't call 9-1-1 but call them. We did...then had to remind them to call the funeral home after the home called us to say they still hadn't heard from hospice. The day of my father's death someone called about the bed wanting to buy it. What??? Oh...they STILL haven't come for it. I may put it on the curb tomorrow. I wouldn't wish these people on my worst enemy. read more

The majority of the care was excellent. We had one nurse who clearly did not bother to read the chart and used a latex catheter, when LAYTEX ALLERGY has been long established and well documented. It caused unnecessary discomfort. Additionally, this nurse was very slow (30 minutes ) to respond to need for pain medication. We never had this nurse again as our time was just 4 days. Also, do not rely on transfer of chart information and final wishes. Carry a copy, know what it says. Our experience in trusting that everything came readily readable with our loved one was a huge mistake that cost us precious time and trauma. We are thankful for the facility and a space to be and many of the nurses who were amazing and outstanding. We never left our loved one alone and advocated fiercely. Always do that. Be certain there is dignity and peace... The final good bye and the honor walk was a beautiful tribute as we 'let her go'. read more

Thank you so much to the Transition Team for taking such wonderful care of my mother and for all the kindness and compassion you have shown my mother and family. I am so blessed to have Melissa Strickland, FNP caring for my mother and for the 2 wonderful nurses that came to my home in the pouring rain when the entire family was sick with Covid and yet you still came and showed compassion and kindness . We are so very Blessed to have received such excellent care. How can we ever thank you !! read more

We had an awful experience with Transitions Hospice.  They did not seem to truly care about our loved one. Their focus was on financial reimbursement from Medicare.  The nurse assigned to us was cold and uncaring; she actually debated with my wife about extending life.  The on call nurses who came to see our loved one seemed to care but were always in too big a hurry to go on to next visit. Often they did not have proper size catheter. The nurse case manager actually complained to my wife about the costs of bandages they were having to provide. Be advised that you do have other choices for hospice care in Wake County. We got so worn out by lack of care at Transitions LifeCare, we terminated them and switched to Heartland Hospice. Heartland did more for my wife's mother in three days than Transitions did in 3 months. read more

We have had no experience with in home hospice care, however, our experience with Transitions LifeCare hospice home has been nothing short of amazing. EVERY staff member involved with our mother's care was just the right combination of competent, compassionate and merciful. We feel so blessed to have had the caring staff at Transitions help our family navigate our beloved mothers transition. She had a challenging life and she has never been treated with more respect and dignity. Thank you Transitions LifeCare. read more

We had an awful experience with Transitions Hospice. They did not seem to care about our loved one or the family. It was all about Medicare reimbursement. The nurse assigned to us was cold and uncaring. She would stand with her arms crossed in front of her and her lips pursed. The on call nurses who came to see our loved one seemed harried and talked down to us. I left a message requesting a medication change one night, and the message was not passed on to anyone. They said our loved one was not acute enough for a bed in the hospice house, which is where he should have been for his final days. He was in extreme pain, could not swallow, could not speak, and was barely able to breath, but he wasn't acute enough. We had been told that hospice adds another layer of support, but in our experience, they added another layer of beauracracy which delayed care. The first person I met with from Transitions was nice. I met with her on a Saturday and told her our loved one would probably be discharged on Monday and we would like him to be enrolled in hospice. He was discharged on Monday but was not enrolled in hospice until Wednesday. Neither the Social Worker nor Spiritual Counselor met with us before he died the following Sunday. We were told they had five days by Medicare rules. They didn't seem to care what the patient or the patient's family needed. They ordered a special mattress for our loved one but didn't provide the appropriate bed for the mattress, so the mattress kept slipping and almost fell off the bed. They ordered a wheelchair, when there were no expectations that our loved one would be able to use it. We received calls from them, but they always gave the answering service number for call back (day or night). The people who answered the phone could never get in touch with the person who left the message. We had multiple family members in from all over the country. They were all appalled at the awful care. The night our loved one died a social worker called me. She was not kind at all and would not give us her number to call back with decisions about arrangements. We had to call the main number and start all over with whoever got that message. Someone from Hospice should have talked to us about planning for death, selecting a funeral home, etc., before the death, but no one did. I am assuming they are understaffed and the people they hire are not screened very well. My suggestion is to select a caring hospice team not Transitions. read more

If I could rate this place 0 stars I would. To begin with the social worker Denise signed me up to be my fathers caregiver without my permission. I am visiting from California to see my father and had no idea he was going to need hospice. It came as a shock to begin with. I almost had to quit my job due to this situation. Transitions just threw equipment and medicine at us and basically had me doing all the work. They do not provide care on a daily basis like they are supposed to. This past week I placed my father into hospice in Smithfield and they are wonderful! Denise the social worker from transitions was supposed to fax paper work to release my father from transitions immediately and it still hasn't been done. Incompetence at its finest. Don't let your loved one be treated like my father and I have. Go elsewhere! read more

Very negative experience when my Grandmother was passing at the Hospital. Extremely poor Communication. Positive experience with 1 or 2 employees, but other than that, just a horrible experience. Please do your research and choose carefully when it comes to end of life care for your loved one. read more

I want to sincerely thank the staff at Transitions Life Care for the care they provided my beloved Mother the last night of her life. This is a wonderful facility full of caring nurses and staff that feels almost like home. The way they honored her after she passed was very special and will never be forgotten. Despite our grief, we are thankful for Transitions Life Care. read more

Well, it's really interesting to look at the reviews--Transitions is either really good or really bad. My experience is from a few years ago and was, more specifically, with Wake Co. Hospice Palliative Care at WakeMed, New Bern Ave. facility For some technical reason, my family member could not be transferred to Hospice and we received all palliative care @ WM. A few glitches, the major one being told that palliative care was not staffed over the weekend which turned into a problem as patient passed away early Sunday morning. I really needed Hospice support for that and it was not there. Latter, I heard that there is staffing but my then, it was too late. Hospice issues a grief support letter, once a month for a year following the death of the patient. However, that letter is for Hospice families, not for the Palliative Care families. I did discuss this inequity with them, but, they do not provide follow-up info. So, I don't know if this has been corrected or not. I could see that they are good people, it's just that in a couple of major ways, they were not there for me. I hope these oversights have been addressed and corrected for others who need their services. Does anyone know, does the letter now go out to the hospital palliative care families? read more

It is an awful experience to lose a loved one. My mother passed away on Dec. 7th; very recent. But the staff at Transitions Life Care made it much easier: Karen, our social worker, sat down with us the morning my mom was transferred there and explained the kind of care my mother would receive in her final days. My mother's nurse, Ginger, was very compassionate and informative as well. Everyone at Transitions was wonderful and very sympathetic. They answered all of my questions and addressed all of my concerns, while making every effort to keep my mother comfortable. I was contacted by phone during my mother's stay there, to make sure I was kept up-to-date on my mother's status. I also received a card in the mail approximately 1 week after my mother's passing with a hand written note expressing the condolences of the staff. Very sweet! The staff members at Transitions Life Care were wonderful!! read more

I have to say this place is amazing. I had no idea it existed. Sad way to find out but glad for it. The staff are wonderful, day and night. They cater to families and are spot on with any questions you have, from memory and not having to look it up or guess. I'm extremely impressed with the staff and the facility itself is amazingly accommodating. read more

We were encouraged to use the services that Transitions Life Care offered after my husband had a brief stay at Rex Hospital. He has progressive MS and deals with pain throughout the day. When the "nurse" came to our home the first time she informed us that she will be taking over my husband's pain medication. He takes a certain medication for pain that really works for him and he's been on it for years. Due to the ever changing world that MS loves to bring on my husband is waking up at 3am which is now the time he takes his first dose of pain medication. With his day starting so early he tends to run low and medication towards the end of the month. As his caregiver I called our insurance company to see if they would pay for more tablets each month since they do not cover the extended release and they informed me that they do. When I called the "nurse" to inform her that insurance will cover more tablets each month so that's what we needed for her to call in she refused. She stated that a Dr. who has never seen my husband will have to approve it but they don't like upping the kind of medication he uses. She has put him o. Methadone which doesn't work for him and requires him to get a ekg done every few months. I am beyond frustrated with this place since they are not listening to the patient who is dealing with the pain and knows what works or the caregiver/wife who knows what works as well. Nothing is worse than dealing with an incurable disease and dealing with a "health care" system that couldn't care less. read more

The Transitions nurses were wonderful in caring for my mother during the last few weeks of her life. They seamlessly arranged for all of the equipment vendors (hospital bed, oxygen, etc.) and medications. We were particularly impressed with nurse Amy, who visited when we called with a concern near midnight. She was compassionate and sensitive with our mother; taught us the best ways to administer medication, when to do so, and how to interpret our mother's sounds and movements when she could no longer speak; and knew exactly which pharmacies in the area would be open and could fill prescriptions at that time of night. The nurses delivered whatever we requested, and the service was responsive and kind. We are so grateful for their assistance and support. read more

My father in law was placed at Transitions. It is a wonderful place. I was happy with the whole experience even though it was a very hard time for me emotionally. So when my father was dying, I was asked where I would like for him to go, I chose Transitions. A lady called me and told me that my dad did not "qualify" because he was not in pain. He was on a strong pain medication at the hospital and he was in so much pain every time they moved him. He was dying. His body was shutting down and this is painful. This lady told me that he would have to go home, so she was talking to me about bringing a bed to my dad's house so the social worker could send him home. I was so disappointed that he couldn't go to Transitions Lifecare. I wish she told me the real reason. I feel he was turned down for a reason that I wasn't told. I lost sleep all night because I thought he was going to have to go to his house. The next day, I went to stay with him in the hospital. At 4:30 that afternoon, he breathed his last breath. I still don't understand why she said he didn't Qualify to be at Transitions LifeCare. read more

Everyone at Transitions that I helped me and my family through the final days of my dear Uncle's life were kind, compassionate and professional. It was a heartbreaking situation but the love and care shown by every single person: the nurses, social worker, spiritual counselor and the lovely man who bathed my uncle through to the grief counselors after uncle's death were marvelous. I don't know what I would have done without everybody. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. read more

Interviewed with James Butler, Volunteer Services Team Leader. Great guy. Super agency :-)

The Transitions team took care of my father-in-law in his last days and did a terrific job in a really difficult situation. The care attendants and nurses were always ready to come over and help, were very responsive and kind and we couldn't have asked for a better team than the one we got. Really and truly, thank you Transitions for making a difficult situation easier and more peaceful than we could have ever hoped. You are wonderful! read more

I strongly recommend that you find a different hospice provider for your loved one. This one did not rise to the level of compassionate care, responsiveness, and help that one expects from hospice. I will not catalog all my negative experiences but just urge you to use someone else. read more

Very negative experience 3 years ago. Especially with Nurse Tobin. My dad & family was treated in a very insensitive and inhumane manner during one of the worse experiences of our lives. It's too late for my family, but please be very careful in choosing this place. Hopefully no one else will have to go thru this horror. read more

All of the people I met from Transitions were very, very nice. However, I was extremely dissatisfied with the way that they handled my husband's transition from the hospital to our home for hospice care. Shortly after my husband arrived back home, a Transitions nurse arrived to go through the orientation. But she did not bring any pain medication with her. Instead, all she brought were prescriptions for medications. It was then up to me to get the prescriptions filled and pick them up. As a result, my husband had to go a minimum of 5 1/2 hours without any pain medication, assuming he was given some pain medication just before leaving the hospital. (I don't know the timing of his last pain medication at the hospital, so it is likely that he went an even longer time without medication.) Also, the original dosage of pain medication was prescribed by a Transitions doctor who had never even seen my husband. This original dosage was ridiculously low, and as a result, my husband had an extremely unpleasant first night at home. The next day, the Transitions nurse -- in conjunction with the doctor who had never seen my husband -- had to triple the dosage of pain medication. So in practice, there was not as much emphasis on making the patient as comfortable and pain-free as possible as I was led to believe in Transitions' presentations and brochures. read more

My Father in law was send here from wake med a week ago. He passed yesterday morning. He was not in pain the entire time he was there. He was very peaceful and the whole atmosphere was peaceful. This hospice made his passing so much easier on my family and I am very grateful for that. We could come anytime we needed to see him even at midnight or later. Nobody questions why you come at the times you do or gives you weird looks. In fact the nurses will stop doing what they are doing and give you an update on condition and how much time they estimate is left. They will even stand there and listen to your thoughts and feelings. They have counselors on staff for adults and for children, You can use their services FREE for up to 18 months after your loved one has passed. My wife is very very close to her parents and without this hospice she may have very well been in holy hill hospital right now. I cant thank them enough for the Closure they were able to give her and my mother in law and her son. read more

Transitions Hospice was truly a God send in helping my father and myself provide at home hospice for my mother. The nurses, aides and social workers were so patient and helpful in guiding us through the many and rapid changes that were occurring. With their help we were enabled to keep my mom at home, comfortable and pain free. They treated my mother with dignity and the rest of the family with compassion. read more