Medilodge of Holland

I have been in health care for 28 years and I know this is not how our loved ones or veterans should be treated! I wouldn’t wish what we experienced at this nursing home on anyone. The way our uncle was treated in his final days was not just neglectful — it was inhumane and absolutely heartbreaking. Families put their trust in these places to care for their loved ones with dignity and compassion, but what we saw was the exact opposite. The staff barely checked on him. When he was completely unresponsive, nurses still tried to give “comfort meds” with applesauce — an unsafe, thoughtless act that showed zero awareness of his condition. Even worse, after giving medications, they never came back to see if he was comfortable or if he needed more. Some of them didn’t even know how often he could safely have medication for the “death rattle.” Instead of peace in his final hours, he was left struggling because the people who were supposed to know what to do didn’t. At one point his respiratory rate was 44 and we waited over an hour to get medication to help his breathing! To make matters worse, the facility was actually going to put him in a hoyer lift and transfer him into a wheelchair to move him into a private room — while he was unresponsive and near the very end of life. I had to argue with them to use common sense and simply move him in the bed. The lack of compassion and dignity in that moment was appalling. The first three days were no better. Not a single nurse aide came in to turn him, clean him, or even check if he was wet. When we confronted them, the excuse we got was, “Well, we give you your time to visit.” We were there morning to night — does that mean patients are left to sit in filth and discomfort just because family is present? That is pure neglect. But the worst part — the part that still makes me sick to my stomach — was how heartless they were about allowing family at the bedside when the end was near. At the hospital, their own recruiter from Medilodge promised us we could be there all night. Once he was admitted, we were told no family overnight. After arguing, they said they would “allow” one person, then maybe two or three if he was close to passing. How do you look a family in the eye — a wife, three children, and grandchildren — and tell them they might not get to hold their loved one’s hand as he takes his last breath? That is cruel beyond words. By the grace of God, he passed before midnight, because otherwise they would have forced us out. This facility failed in every way — medically, ethically, and compassionately. They showed us neglect, ignorance, and a complete lack of humanity. No family should ever have to fight this hard just for their loved one to have comfort, dignity, and the presence of those who love them at the end. If you value your loved one’s life and dignity, do not bring them here. P.S. we did appreciate the snacks that were brought in the last day and a half he was alive. You definitely kept up in that department one ⭐️