Good Samaritan Society - Echo Ridge

Pros

• The current facility provides excellent care and has received praise for its attentive staff.
• The apartments at Good Samaritan Society - Echo Ridge are spacious, clean, and beautifully designed.
• The atmosphere of the facility is friendly and welcoming, making it a pleasant place for residents.
• The dining area features large windows and a bright, inviting environment.
• Residents enjoy convenient amenities such as on-site laundry facilities and light housekeeping services.
• Having a complete kitchen allows residents the flexibility to cook their own meals if they desire.

Cons

• The quality of care at Echo Ridge was poor, leading to unnecessary hospitalizations for the resident.
• The facility had only one nurse available during daytime hours, leaving residents without proper medical oversight.
• Staff displayed contradictory information regarding visiting hours, causing confusion and frustration for family members.
• The nurse in charge lied about the resident's level of care and associated cost increases, undermining trust in the facility.
• The initial decision to place the resident at Echo Ridge was regretted due to inadequate care and unprofessional staff behavior.
• Family members experienced a lack of transparency and honesty from the nursing staff, leading to significant concerns about their loved one's wellbeing.

Review

The experience of placing a loved one in a senior living facility is often fraught with emotions, particularly when the level of care fails to meet expectations. Such was the case for one family who entrusted their mother to the Good Samaritan Society at Echo Ridge. Initially excited about the transition from independent living to assisted living, they soon discovered that the quality of care provided by Echo Ridge was alarmingly inadequate. The family had previously navigated their mother's move from senior living apartments without any issues during her years of independence, so they were optimistic that this new chapter would be just as positive. However, once she moved into assisted living, it quickly became clear that the facility did not provide the necessary support for her well-being.

As the designated power of attorney for healthcare for their mother, this concerned family member observed troubling patterns in her care. Frequent visits revealed a startling lack of available staff—often only seeing aides and rarely encountering any medical personnel. Disturbingly, during her brief stay at Echo Ridge, their mother experienced four hospitalizations; two of which raised questions regarding their necessity. The family's frustration escalated when they were told that if they didn’t transport their mother to the emergency room themselves, an ambulance would be summoned. Such insistence felt like an overreach to them and indicative of a deeper problem within the facility’s ability to manage their mother's health needs effectively.

The staffing structure at Echo Ridge further compounded these issues. With only one nurse covering daytime hours and no medical professionals present during off-hours, concerns about prompt and appropriate medical attention loomed large for this family. Interactions with nursing personnel added another layer of dissatisfaction: one particular nurse maintained stringent visitation policies in direct contradiction to information given by other staff members and administrators that there were no defined visiting hours at all. This inconsistency left the family confused and frustrated as evening visits were important for their mother’s emotional well-being.

One particular incident highlighted how unnerving communication could be at Echo Ridge when it came to assessments about their mother's care needs and associated costs. During a critical care conference attended by both brothers and this contentious nurse, they learned that there would be an increase in monthly fees due to what was claimed as a rising level of care requirements—a statement later disproven by confirming details from home health nursing records indicating that their mother had met all goals necessary for home health assistance. Confronted with these discrepancies, family members demanded transparency and immediate action on billing matters while also insisting on changes regarding who would handle their mother's case moving forward.

Ultimately dissatisfied with ongoing issues surrounding inadequacies in care along with poor communication practices between staff members and families alike, this determined family proactively sought out alternatives for assisted living arrangements. Luckily, they found a new facility immediately within the week where satisfaction levels soared high—something absent during their time at Echo Ridge—as praise poured in about consistent quality care received from attentive staff within a beautiful setting tailored specifically to meet residents’ needs.

In stark contrast to earlier experiences at Echo Ridge, Good Samaritan Society offered not just physical comfort through spacious accommodations but also nurtured relationships among residents since some familiar faces were already present there—all contributing positively toward creating an inviting atmosphere matched by exemplary service standards unmatched elsewhere! What surfaced through these revelations is vital learning: ensuring proper oversight when handling aged loved ones' welfare is critical; pursuing facilities recognized not solely by appearances but more importantly through trustworthy operations will undoubtedly yield far more beneficial outcomes down life’s winding road than subpar experiences ever could!

This part of Rapid City, South Dakota offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities for seniors considering the area for living. With several physicians' offices, hospitals, and pharmacies located within a short distance, residents have easy access to medical care and services. Places of worship such as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help are also nearby for spiritual support. Additionally, there are various dining options ranging from fast food to sit-down restaurants like Colonial House Restaurant. For recreation, parks like Wilson Park and Dinosaur Park provide opportunities for leisurely walks and outdoor activities. Overall, this area provides a well-rounded environment with essential services and recreational offerings for senior residents to enjoy.

Physicians

• Rushmore OB/GYN (0.4 miles)
• Black Hills Plastic Surgery (0.4 miles)
• Plastic Surgical Center of Rapid City (0.4 miles)
• Black Hills Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (0.4 miles)
• Va Black Hills Health Care System (0.4 miles)
• Dakota Radiology (0.5 miles)
• Black Hills Neurology (0.5 miles)

Hospitals

• Black Hills Surgical Hospital (0.6 miles)
• Black Hills Imaging Center (0.6 miles)
• Labor and Delivery (0.6 miles)
• Rapid City Regional Hospital (0.6 miles)
• Rapid City Regional Hospital (0.7 miles)

Pharmacies

• Boyd's Drug Rx Express (0.7 miles)
• Monument Health Home+ Specialty Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• Walgreens (1.2 miles)
• Medicine Shoppe (1.6 miles)
• Rushmore Compounding (1.6 miles)
• Medicap Pharmacy (1.9 miles)
• Boyds Drug Mart (2 miles)

Places of Worship

• Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (0.7 miles)
• First United Methodist Church (2 miles)

Restaurants

• Colonial House Restaurant (0.8 miles)
• Culver's (0.8 miles)
• McDonald's (0.8 miles)
• Sonic Drive-In (0.9 miles)
• Perkins Restaurant and Bakery (0.9 miles)
• Himalayan Kitchen (1.3 miles)
• Taco Bell (1.7 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.2 miles)
• Scotters Coffee (1.3 miles)
• Pure Bean (2.2 miles)
• Essence Of Coffee (2.2 miles)
• Starbucks (2.3 miles)

Parks

• Wilson Park (1.3 miles)
• Robbinsdale Park (1.5 miles)
• Dinosaur Park (2 miles)
• Storybook Island (2.1 miles)
• Sioux Park (2.2 miles)