Heartland of Zephyrhills

The only good thing I can say about this place is the physical therapist and occupational therapist are very good. The place reeks of urine. They dont wet clean the floors very often and should be done every day. When you push the button for help they may or may not come and if they do, it won't be for a very long time. I would never put a loved one in there unless you can be there every day watching what's going on and advocating for them. I had to speak with the administration daily. It's very sad for the residents that don't have anyone watching over them. The food is some of the worst I've seen. Sad

I went to Heartland of Zephyrhills 8/28/19. I stayed approximately 4 hours before my husband and my sister RESCUED me. I have been in several skilled nursing facilities for rehab (in the Ocala area) post back and hip replacement surgeries. I also did Social Service work in a Skilled Nursing Facility. These Skilled Nursing Facilities were ALL A+ facilities. To compare those facilities to Heartland of Zephyrhills, is like comparing the Taj Mahal to the slums of Mumbai India. The latter being Heartland of Zephyrhills!!All that being said I wish could have given Heartland ZERO STARS!!This is my story:I arrived at facility in the afternoon coming directly from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. The moment the front doors opened and I was wheeled into the lobby .... the stench of urine filled the air. I immediately became a bit apprehensive about this facility. When I got to the room I was assigned to, room 113, my apprehension heightened. The room was dark, dingy with old beat up furniture. The drivers of the medical transport put me in a bed next to the window, which was so low that anyone could have walked up to it from outside and look right. The bed DID NOT have electric controls to raise or lower the head or foot of it. The other bed in the room was vacant and DID have controls so my husband moved those controls to the one I was in. The mattress felt like is was stuffed horse hair!Shortly after arriving I had to use the restroom. My husband went to find someone that could bring a wheelchair and help me get to the restroom. A nurse's aide came in and helped me to the bathroom. I was shocked with what I saw. It was a tiny bathroom that BARELY met most basic requirements for being handicapped accessible. There was a tiny sink and the toilet was set back in a little nook that was barely wide enough to position the wheelchair in front of the toilet. It did have grab bars on either side of the toilet, however, THE TOILET SEAT WAS DIRTY AND LOOSE!!! The aide took some paper towels and wiped the seat ... UGH!After I used toilet my husband came in and tightened toilet seat by hand.Right after that, my sister arrived. I told her I needed something for pain so she went to find the nurse ...... who had not yet even come in to the room to even recognize or acknowledge that I had arrived. The time elapsed at this point was 2 hours. My sister came back saying the only thing that I could have for pain what's Tylenol. She said the facility had not received any medication report from the hospital and their doctor would not be in until the following day. That was not going to cut it. Shortly after that a nurse came in carrying a food tray which she placed on the bedside table. Saying, and I quote, "I'm Bertha. I will be your nurse for the next 3 seconds and then I'm going home." I replied,"You're the first nurse I've seen since I got here I've been here about 2 1/2 hours!" To which Bertha replied, "Well I just came in at 4 to help them with admissions and I'm going home." She put the tray down and walked out. I never saw her again. Mind you, I WAS ONE OF THOSE ADMISSIONS .... and NO ONE HAD COME IN TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY ARRIVAL .... (except the aide) ... LET ALONE MY ADMISSION!!At this point I was EXTREMELY UPSET ... out of desperation, I called my surgeon but unfortunately since I had been "admitted" to this facility he had no privileges and could not intervene. He DID tell me that no one could make me stay there. If I wanted to leave I could leave and just call his office in the morning and they would get home health out to me immediately.My husband and sister we're still trying to find out why I did not get orders for medication. One of the nurses told them there was a facility doctor who would be in the following day and would assess my condition and decide what medications I need. My sister asked if the facility could call the doctor, and advise him of my admission and diagnosis and get an order for pain medication at least a one-time dose until he came in the following day. The nurse told my sister and my husband, "No, I'm not calling him. She (me) will have to wait until tomorrow and if she's not happy with that she can leave." My sister replied, "We're out of here!"By this point my husband, my sister and needless to say, myself were all extremely upset with the lack of professionalism, acknowledgment, attention, empathy or anything else in the least bit comforting.My husband went got the nurse and told her we were leaving. I signed the appropriate papers, my family gathered up my belongings, an aide rolled me out to the car and I was FREE! Hallelujah!I have reported things to my surgeon as well as the hospital, AND OF COURSE, the administrator of Heartland of Zephyrhills. I will also be reporting my experience to the state agency that manages the certifications for skilled nursing facilities.Like I said oh, I wish I could have given this facility ZERO STARS!!