ComplaintsforBrookdale Senior Living - Headquarters

• Initial Complaint

  08/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My father, *********************************, for who I have Power of Attorney, stayed at this Assisted Living Facility from 4/15/24-4/19/24. On 4/19/24 he was transferred to another Brookdale location due to an incident that occurred at the facility. I was told at that time by the Sales Manager ***************************** that all money would be transferred to the new location. This never happened and new payments were made to the new location. Then on 5/10/24 I was told by director of Brookdale Wekiva that the full $5016 would be reimbursed within 30 days. This also did not happen. Then on 7/19/24 a check was received via mail of $4141.15 with no explanation of the $874.85 difference. Since that time I have communicated with the corporate office over 13 times who eventually was able to have the local(Brookdale Wekiva) billing manager , *****. ***** called me on 7/30/24 and explained she and the director are new and the charges are for the 4 days my father was there. I explained the situation and that $875.85 does not calculate to 4 days at the proper rate. She stated that she will get assistance on the matter and call me the following week. She has never called me back and I have left 3 additional messages for a call back. I would like an explanation of the charges(billing). I have only received one bill of $71.90 for basic service for 4/20/24-4/30/24 which are dates that my father was not a resident at the facility.

  Business response

  08/20/2024

  Our Area Director has reached out to you and clarified the discrepancies on the account. She has also sent you a detailed email with that same information as well as an account history report for your records. Thank you.

  Customer response

  08/20/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  07/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Im writing this for my Dad hes not able to get this done. My mom was at Brookdale nursing home. On June 6th my dad gave them a months notice we would be removing her from the facility. By Saturday June 29th we were out of there. They are saying that my dad still owes them money because he didnt tell them on June 1st that we were leaving. But the thing is he told them on June the 6th and we were gone by the 29th so we were outta there in 3 weeks, so they got their 30 days. Plus the day we left I was talking to one of the workers and they said they had 5 open rooms the day we left. So its not like we were holding them up on getting another person moved in. I dont think my dad should have to pay anything else. ***** is who my dad has been talking to. Thank you

  Business response

  07/18/2024

  Our District Director of Operations has left a message at the number provided. Please return his call to further discuss. Thank you.
  

  Customer response

  07/19/2024

  I have no msg on my email also no text from them or any voicemail from the company. Brookdale . Whats my next step?

  Business response

  07/23/2024

  We are aware you have spoken with our District Director of Operations regarding credits for July. We encourage you to reach back out to him if you have any additional questions. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  06/27/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company is an assisted living company that my parents had a short stay with. Due to poor care and horrible bookkeeping they moved out. After they moved out for three months they sent bill that had already been paid. I provided the company two different times the returned checkers and statements. On the third time I told them i would not be giving them anymore documentation. They then filed a collection against my socical security number for accounts that were already paid and closed. In their collections an bill they bill for time that parents no longer lived there.

  Business response

  06/28/2024

  We reviewed your dispute from *********************** and it was determined the balance is valid. Per the Fair Debt Collections Practice Act, any further dispute would need to be made in writing with the third party collection agency. Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  06/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Brookdale ****************************************** Living has billed us for services that were being provided for at least 2 months.Care services for my family member were continually not being provided over an 18 month period. This was brought to the attention of the Executive Director, *****************************. Nothing was done to correct it, yet we were still being billed full price. Maintainence issues were not resolved in a timely manner, my mother was without heat and hot water for 3 weeks in the winter time.

  Business response

  06/20/2024

  A Brookdale ******************* representative will be reaching out to you regarding your request.

  Customer response

  06/24/2024

   
  Complaint: 21869603
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The executive director of Brookdale ******* ******************** ***************************** called and spoke to my husband. He was once again, only concerned about himself. ********************** did  not even address the issue of us being billed for care services for my mother that was NOT being provided. Mr. ********** only concern was that my husband was mad and upset. ********************** allowed my mother to live in filthy unsanitary conditions off and on for over 18 months. ********************** allowed my mother to live without heat and hot water for over 3 weeks during the winter on separate occasions. He did nothing to help. 
  APS and our Madison County Umsbarmen were involved. APS turned this case over to the District Attorneys office. 
  We are not going to pay for the 2 full months of care services we are being billed for because it wasnt being done.

  Brookdale needs to cut the bill in half since the care that was provided was about half that time and half in quality.

  ********************** has no care or compassion or concern for my mother. She was treated inhumane and like she didnt matter. 
  

  Once the bill is corrected to reflect the time and care my mother DID receive, then we will pay the correct amount. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Business response

  06/24/2024

  The *************** Manager made several attempts to contact the responsible party to discuss the account, and was able to connect on 6/24/24. The community will be providing a copy of the invoice to the responsible party, showing there is a zero balance.

  Customer response

  06/24/2024

   
  Complaint: 21869603
  
  I am rejecting this response because: we have not seen this in writing or received a zero balance bill. Once the zero balance bill is received in writing, then we will accept Brookdales response and close out this case. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Business response

  06/27/2024

  An account history showing a zero balance was sent via e-mail. 

  Customer response

  06/27/2024

  We have received the zero balance statement. If another link can be sent to me, I will accept the businesss response and close the case. 

  Customer response

  07/03/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  06/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My Mother *********************** was a resident of Brookdale, *****, ** for over 5 years. During that time I complained numerous times about her care and paid them over $500,000.00 She was dirty and had a odor, Soiled clothing, sticky floors, threadbare furniture, dirty bathroom, soiled pullups in the shower and hanging on the drawer in the kitchenette, carpet covered in f**** because house keeping was off that day, and poor quality food.I complained to ******************* at **************. There was always an excuse and we needed to have a care conference. On 01/15/2024 I requested a copy of a Brookdale Policy. I was told I couldn't have a copy. However, ******************* would arrange for me to read the policy on ************ laptop. After reading the policy I was told we needed to talk about another issue. Mom was picking at her ostomy bag and Brookdale could no longer meet her care needs. Brookdale issued a 30 vacate notice to a resident that had been there over 5 years, who was 96 years old, and with hospice care. ********************* and ******************* said that hospice and Moms doctor had recommended the move. They both denied saying she needed to be moved. They also said I couldn't move her to another Brookdale Facility. I find it ironic that she received a vacate notice on the same day ******************* and ********************* said I couldn't have a copy of the policy. I did move Mom within the 30 days to another facility where she never picked at her ostomy bag and we never had a problem with the ostomy. Brookdale had a problem several times a week. Probably because they never checked it. I wrote the *** of Brookdale but never received a reply.

  Business response

  06/24/2024

  Please see the attached response letter from Brookdale Salem. 

  Customer response

  06/25/2024

   
  Complaint: 21851800
  
  I am rejecting this response because: ********************* was talking about a fall that I didn't mention in the letter.  Mom had many falls at the facility.   I was talking about the total lack of care and the conditions of the facility.  According to the vacate letter Brookdale could no longer care for Moms needs.   They also said that Moms doctor and hospice requested additional care.   Both of them denied saying that.  By looking at the response from ***** the vacate letter was issued because of a fall and not because they couldn't take care of her needs.  I believe we were asked to leave because we pointed out our concerns about the staff, care, and facility.    

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business response

  06/26/2024

  Brookdale Salem has conducted an internal review of Mr. ******* complaint and the community continues to assert that services provided to **************** were within the standard of care.

  Customer response

  07/09/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  06/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My father, an insulin dependent diabetic was in memory care at Brookdale in ************, *********. Due to numerous falls, his primary care doctor recommended he go into hospice to have more eyes on him. She emphasized he was not dying. Once in hospice the hospice doctor became the supervising doctor. May 8, Brookdale began giving my dad a high sugar Ensure three times a day, feeling he was not eating enough. My dads blood sugar immediately soared and my dad began to disintegrate before my eyes. He grew extremely weak and sluggish; his speech was slurred or absent; he was in pain and had profuse diarrhea. And he had trouble seeing. Although his blood glucose was checked daily NO ONE contacted the hospice doctor and my dad died 16 days later. I called the hospice doctor when I found out about my dads 350 and 490 levels of blood glucose. But by then it was too late and dad died 16 days after the introduction of the drink on May 23. Although he was 98, longevity runs in his family and he was still loving, gentle kind and interested in my life and projects before this happened.

  Business response

  06/11/2024

  A representative of Brookdale ************ will be in contact to discuss your concerns.

  Customer response

  06/12/2024

  *******,

    So far a representative from Brookdale ************ has not contacted me.  What a pathetic response from them.  If I do not hear back from them in that ten day window I will recontact BBB.

  **********************************;

  Customer response

  06/12/2024

  *******,

    Im concerned if I accept the response that Brookdale will contact me, that they actually wont contact me and then you close the case because I accepted that option.  Then what?  Please advise.

  **********************************;

  Customer response

  06/12/2024

   
  Complaint: 21824136
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  I wrote the executive director, ***********************, of Brookdale about my grievance first and before the BBB. -not one, but three letters.  When I did not get a response I wrote and asked if he had received them.  He wrote back and said, he had but had not finished reading them but would.  Then he put LOL. This is not an LOL matter.  Then I followed up and said to ************ to  consider my email a formal notice of grievance following the protocol for solving grievances for Brookdale.  **** contacted me several days later by phone and blamed everything that happened on ******** (Hospice) and told me I should go after them.  I have no quarrel with Amedysis .
  **** made some comments about policy changes but nothing verifiable.  I want valid, reliable policy changes I can see in writing and I want to know staff is being instructed to prevent the tragedy that befell my father from ever happening again.  I want an apology and *************** fired.  Im presuming a Brookdale representative reaching out will be on the same trajectory as before.  Words mean nothing unless followed by action.  
  
  

   

   

   

  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************************

  Business response

  06/17/2024

  Representatives with our district management team reached out to address your concerns.

  Customer response

  06/17/2024

   
  Complaint: 21824136
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I do not agree with the opinions of those who reached out to me. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************************

  Business response

  06/18/2024

  A investigation was completed and our district representatives reached out to discuss. The call ended with no further questions.

  Customer response

  06/18/2024

  I had no questions because I was present during the period of time in which Brookdales incompetence triggered my fathers precipitous decline and death-16 days.  I documented everything.  The conversation ended with my saying to the representative that I hold Brookdale responsible for the death of my father.  They felt Brookdale did nothing wrong.  My family and I disagree. 

   

  Customer response

  06/18/2024

  I had no questions because I was present during the period of time in which Brookdales incompetence triggered my fathers precipitous decline and death-16 days.  I documented everything.  The conversation ended with my saying to the representative that I hold Brookdale responsible for the death of my father.  They felt Brookdale did nothing wrong.  My family and I disagree. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  05/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 09/26/23, I emailed Brookdale -Tomorrow will be third day of 90 degree heat. My parents do not have a central air and havent for the entire summer. They have a floor unit which only serves the living room as their bedroom is registered at 86 tonight. My parent make shift cardboard box window is falling out of the window. I read that Brookdale offered clean filtered air however this is not the case for my parents and my father has pneumonia two times this summer. The unit was so hot it melted my mothers medications. Please see attachments. I do not agree paying full rent as this has been an ongoing issue. On 04/27/24 my mother reported you had approached her on the elevator regarding moving to a different apartment and you wanted to show her some of the available units based on the repair of the air conditioning in their unit. I ask you as her daughter and POA please do not approach my 92-year-old mother without me when discussing stressful matters as the information she received during her encounter with you resulted in increased anxiety and unnecessary worry. My concern is the air conditioning was broken since the time my parents arrived in the apartment on 03/10/23. If you have the knowledge that the apartment had these issues, why in good conscience would you rent this unit to anyone?Brookdale ********* emailed me stating they got approval for a $250/mth/person retention discount to be applied to ********* and *************************** accounts back dating to 01/01/2024. This is in consideration for the heating and air conditioning frustrations they endured and to offset a good portion of the 2024 rate increase. I pay over ********* per month. The air conditioning and heating has been an ongoing issue as per my attached email dated 09/06/24. I would like my parents to be compensated from this date not from 01/01/24.

  Business response

  05/09/2024

  We are aware the community management team has been in contact with you and the residents regarding options, and will be reaching out to you again in regards to your request for credits. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  04/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My Mom moved into Brookdale ************* into assisted living per the assessment of their nurse and her doctors. She was there 2 days and then they said my Mom wandered outside suicidal. After asking about cameras, which we're told "there are no cameras" in a place with ****** care, then I was told she was "escorted out by a caregiver" and "would not come back in" different from before. She was put into a locked unit and neglected for two days. I believe Brookdale Tramway is operating on a bait and switch type admission process where their nurses approve a level of care at a certain rate and then move residents to a higher level of care without family approval knowing once they are put into a higher level of care the resident has no choice but to afford the new level of care at a much higher rate?Of note is that I noticed that room 211, had also been occupied and vacated during the same week and THAT individual's name (******) is now on a room on the 3rd floor. Was this person also inaccurately assessed for placement in AL and had to be moved to memory care putting them at risk as was done to my Mom?We paid $4433 for 30 days and occupied room 210 for 3 days and 306 for 2 days. We have heard NOTHING from anyone with Brookdale. We have had to find a new residence for my Mom after emptying her savings to move into Brookdale and getting nothing back, not even an apology. I believe Brookdale ************* is operating in a fraudulent manner by having their nurse assess residents for placement that is affordable and then residents are deemed as not appropriate for some reason and moved, prior to notifying the family or residents physician, to a. higher, more costly level of care. I also believe once we told **** we could not manage the $5400 for the 3rd floor the facility left my Mom in room 306 without any attention as evidenced by my Moms surroundings when I visited and her appearance and state of mind when I picked her up from the facility. Please see timeline.

  Business response

  05/09/2024

  The District Director has communicated with you that Brookdale will credit back all charges after 4/14/24. When the adjustments are posted our system will generate an invoice that will be systemically mailed out. Those adjustments will result in a credit balance of $1069.12, which will be refunded to the following address as soon as possible. If the address has changed please respond with the updated address. Thank you.

  *********************

  C/O *************************

  ************************

  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  04/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  June 1, 2023 to current.Brookdale is the largest and most profitable senior care company in the ***After many incidents, some involving injury, I feel their services do NOT meet the agreed to contracted care they claimed to provide. Yet, they still claim that my elderly mother needs even more care. From what I can tell, their business model is to either financially break a resident or price them right out of their home, only to open a room for the next unwitting family of a senior to move right in and start the same cycle again. The staff is in constant turnover and always lacking in the number of people needed to provide the needed care of so many elderly people all living in the same facility. They claim they respond to all call from residents in 15 minutes or less, my mother has fallen multiple times since she moved in and waited over an hour numerous times for anyone to respond to the call. She has been injured and transported to a local hospital four times in the 10 months she has been there with no concern for her well being shown any Brookdale management or staff. The $6800 + per month that's charged is very out of line for the care being provided.

  Business response

  04/26/2024

  We are aware a meeting has been scheduled with our District Director of ******** Services to discuss care needs and costs. 

• Initial Complaint

  04/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Beginning 7/25/23 until 11/13/23, medication for my father was ordered 9 times when it should have been ordered approximately once every 2 months. Brookdale claims they never ordered that many, yet Omnicare has proof of delivery for each one. In asking Brookdale about the deliveries, they claim those people that signed for it don't work there. Omnicare has attempted to contact Brookdale and they will not return their calls. Omnicare calls me 1-2 times/week about the overdue payment for a medication that my father didn't receive. I finally moved my father out of this facility and I want them to pay for these missing meds before it goes to collections.

  Business response

  04/03/2024

  Thank you for speaking with our area director regarding this concern. 

  Customer response

  04/10/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

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