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De Gen

ATTENTION JP!!! JP review!! Just to let you know it is actually illegal to have any kind of alarm on patients or their furniture/belongings anymore per the state (in that type of setting). It is now considered a form of restraint and abuse since they are forced to be confined to an area by being scared by an alarm. I’m sorry you had a bad experience but as a nurse who helps with state review I just wanted to let you know that little piece. I do not work there or have anything to do with Blair house, I just stumbled upon your review when going through nursing home reviews. I hope things have improved for you and your loved ones.

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daze

After a hospital stay my husband was admitted to Blaire House in Tewksbury. He was in need of physical therapy given his Parkinson and memory loss; he could not be taken care of at home as he was unable to care for his own needs and had a tendency to fall. This was very emotional time and uncertainty by both my husband and certainly for me. We didn’t know what to expect nor how he would be treated. To begin, the process was well executed, informative and helpful. (Betsy) as well as working with the Business Office (Priscilla) who provided me with all that I needed to do on the financial side. I can honestly say that the physical and occupational teams were outstanding; before long he was walking and improving all round. At times when he had a set-back and had to start over again, they were very helpful, patient and kind. They cheered him along when he succeeded with the therapy. (Michele and Tracy are amazing). During the nearly eleven months that he lived at Blaire’s he received excellent care by Doctor Breznick RN’s CN aides, nutritional plans and all around staff. They ensured that he had whatever he needed, equipment, meds, food, cleanliness, etc. Eventually when Hospice was needed, they we outstanding. Blaire House became a home to me, they supported me, were encouraging and flexible on my daily visits and even allowed me to be part of his care by doing little things, feeding him, etc. which I appreciated. I can sincerely say that Blaire House of Tewksbury is an excellent option not only on the medical side, but on the psychological. There are events and entertainment, encouragement and hard work by all. Gratefully... P.S.I want to extend my gratitude to Cynthia Barcellos, Director of Social Services for all her help, support and kindness during the nearly eleven months that my husband was a resident. She actively managed all ‘our’ needs positively, promptly, and kept a keen eye on my husband’s well-being. I appreciate all her strong support of me personally, was always approachable and encouraging. She deserves five stars!

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Nancy Bluestein

My poor father was at Blaire House for about 2 years. He had a very hard time getting the staff to pay attention to him. The admin staff were not good at communicating at all. Calls and e-mails often went unanswered. Questions and concerns were never addressed quickly or satisfactorily. And the funny thing is.....I was asked to contact Blaire House about my review. That call went unacknowledged. Typical.

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J P

Warning to anyone with a loved one with dementia/alzheimer's, this place is not equipped to carefully monitor them. Same for anyone needing a "full" dialysis treatment. My elderly father had slight dementia and fell at our home (when the cleaning lady pushed his walker into the closet, out of reach of my father). He suffered a small fracture in his back. We decided to place him in Blaire House because they offered dialysis and physical rehabilitation to help him walk again. There were no alarms on the beds, red flag #1. There are only 2 nurses for over 40 rooms and impossible to get any type of reasonable turnaround. So pressing the button for help meant long wait times (I tested this myself a few times, had to help my dad myself). The dialysis is only 3 hours and no one told us that, had we known would have arranged to have him transported to his usual clinic to receive the much needed 4 hours. Then we were told the dialysis was cancelled one day because the dialysis nurse couldn't make it... pushing my dad into 3 days without treatment. In the end, my dad passed away at Blaire House, even though he was up and walking and the day before was laughing and doing great. My dad's roommate had also died from a fall at the Blaire house one week prior (transported to Lowell General Hospital where he died). That should have been red flag #2. My father's cause of death is still a mystery, even though the police ruled it an accident. The nurse said he was on the toilet and then was found on the floor of the bathroom, she said she "turned away from the bathroom door just for a second". I don't believe her, she likely left my dad alone to push a button (which he probably pushed with no response) so she could rush to another room as this place is severely understaffed for nurses. My conclusion is that he likely struggled to get off the toilet himself and fell where he died. And the absolute horrific part... I received that terrible call at 6am with this opening statement: "Hi this is X from Blaire House. Which funeral home for your father? He's unresponsive." To say this was shocking and a cruel and insensitive way to learn your father died would be an understatement. To this day I'm torn apart by the jarring phone call and that level of insensitivity. Please do NOT bring your loved one here. Shame on you Blaire House for not hiring adequate nursing staff, and training them to deliver bad news in a delicate way, and mostly for not ensuring the safety of all patients. And shame on you for your terrible dialysis treatment system when a much needed session can be cancelled arbitrarily. I'd give this place 0 stars if I could. I will forever live in regret for our bad decision to place our father here. Hopefully this review will save someone else's life.

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Tracy Winter

My mother was recently a patient on the dementia floor at the Blaire House and it was an outstanding experience for her and for me, her daughter. She was sent there from Beth Israel for physical therapy and dementia care after a long stay at BI. It is hard to find a bed for such a patient. I was unfamiliar with Blaire House not being from the area. Upon my arrival I was apprehensive at first. I made the long trip to visit her almost daily. Each day I was beyond happy she was there! The staff was absolutely wonderful. They were kind, caring, concerned and always had a quick minute or multiple minutes to talk with me. I left there each day feeling and trusting that my mother was truly in great care. We moved my mother from Blaire recently in order for her to be closer to more family. But, that is the only reason I moved her. I am truly grateful for the loving, kind, professional care she received while at the Blaire House.