My father,at almost 88 years young, stepped off his tractor in September of 2003 and damaged his knee.His doctor prescribed a knee brace and referred him to Hartley Bridge for therapy,to learn how to walk with it.I was not able to travel to Macon until three weeks later,and when I did,I asked if we(meaning my husband and I) could take him outside.The aides had a fit and protested""We don't have to get them up on the weekends!"" I asked to see the nurse in charge of that area-turns out there was ONE nurse on duty over the whole facility;the rest of the staff were aides in street clothes,i.e.,blue jeans...Turns out the medical records of""up for physical therapy"" had been falsified...my father had NO KNEE BRACE at Hartley Woods! He was extremely weak, and seemed to be fevered.I soon determined the cause when he rolled over and his gown fell open in the back and the THREE BEDSORES came into view !!He was taken to the hospital, where he died a few weeks later from widespread septicemia or infection ,which had begun at the bedsores and eaten into his tailbone.When he died, he STILL had no knee brace.\r
In addition, the day we were at Hartley Woods,my father attempted to use the handrail on the old metal bed he was in, and THE HANDRAIL BROKE,leaving rusty metal spikes where it had been welded.The bed must have been at least 50 years old.\r
Also, my husband witnessed an elderly woman being force-fed creamed corn by the aide who held the elderly patient's head back by yanking on her ""ponytail"" hair.\r
And,an ambulance came to get another patient who had a bladder infection.This confirmed my suspicion that my father was telling the truth when he said the patients' water was taken away after visiting hours,so they would not be calling for help to the bathroom.\r
When I came back the next day,my father begged me to""don't say anything"",with fear in his eyes.My World War II hero father,afraid???I couldn't imagine what.He finally told me ""that aide that is so nice when you are here was hitting me last night after you left! please don't say anything...she will beat on me again!""\r
My strong, healthy,hero,who had braved a Depression, poverty,and a World War was finally defeated....by Hartley Woods ""Rehab"" center
Cons: NEGLECT,SADISTIC MISTREATMENT
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