Cranford Health

My 69 year old mother was in this nursing home for rehab after falling and breaking her hip. The last day she was at this facility they isolated her and told my father she had been put on antibiotics. They never told us for what. The nurses just told my father to finish up the antibiotics. When we took her home, that's what we did. Two days later after the antibiotics were finished my father and I found my mother unresponsive with a rapid heartbeat. Immediately we called 9-1-1. My mother was put into the ICU she had tubes everywhere, three different antibiotics, heart stimulant, breathing tube. Everything to keep her alive. She tested positive for C. Diff (clostridium difficile colitis). This is an EXTREMELY dangerous bacteria in the colon. It's transmitted from person to person by spores. If a nurse touched an infected patient and then touched my mother she contracted it. I truly believe my mother contracted this infection from Cranford Health. She did not show symptoms until she was there for two weeks, so it wasn't the hospital that transmitted this infection to her. My mother died after being in the ICU for two days because the infection turned her body septic. If only Cranford Health told us the importance of the infection she actually had or told us in general WHAT infection she had my mother would still be alive today. They should have transported my mother to the hospital AS SOON as she came down with this infection. I came to the conclusion this facility is filthy and not sanitary. Please beware.

A Warm Comfortable Feeling
I turn into the tree lined driveway of Cranford Health, and think, how country like and peaceful it is. I've been taking this drive for many years, all during the illness of Doris my wife and now as a volunteer.
After parking my car, I walk thorough the doors and the receptionist greets me, "Hi Ed" as I stop and sign in. We talk briefly about the weather and I continued down the corridor. Next I meet Bob from maintenance with a big "Hello"and then on to social services to chit chat. I continue toward the Gift Shop for my assignment for the day. I pause and think about how all the cheerful greetings gave me a warm and comfortable feeling. For me, Cranford Health is like an extended Family. There is an old Taoist saying, "A Journey starts with the first step", for me, the first step was finding quality, compassionate care for my wife which led to an opportunity for me give back through volunteering and continue my Journey at Cranford Health.

Most of the nurses seemed at all times annoyed to be there and to help the patients and families. If your doctor does not have privileges at this facility then your loved one will never see a doctor. Only a PA will stop in to see them on a very infrequent basis. If your loved one requires more than just rehabilitation, such as round the clock care this is not the place for you. My grandfather was suffering from inoperable throat cancer. We wanted to rehabilitate him and send him home. However, a fall he ad taken a few weeks before entering the home left him with a brain hemorrhage that had gone unnoticed by the PA and staff, even after we repeatedly told them that we felt that something was wrong. We had to initiate his transfer to the hospital even though we asked that he be closely watched. It was not until my grandmother came to visit and saw that he was hitting the side of his bed and was completely disoriented, then told the staff to call an ambulance. You could never get a straight answer from anyone when a doctor or the PA would be in to see him. Many times when I came for a visit people were lined up outside the cafeteria like cattle waiting to get in. It was the saddest place I have ever been. These people were treated like animals, not people who should be treated with respect and dignity for the end of their life care. If you love someone, do not send them here. After leaving this place, my grandfather spent a week in the hospital then was transferred to Hospice where he died two days later. Because of the lack of care, we were not prepared for this abrupt ending to a treasured life.