Harmony House

Pros

• One staff member reached out to the family after the mother left and seemed genuinely concerned about her wellbeing.
• The reviewer described the other facility as a great place.
• The staff were working with the mother on rehabilitation to help her walk with a walker again or use a normal wheelchair.
• The interactions, activities, and staff at the other facility were described as light years better.
• A staff member occasionally took the mother for a walk and showed genuine care.

Cons

• Harmony reportedly dropped the mom off at the ER, saying she was "too much to care for" and would not be allowed to return, which the reviewer calls cruel.
• The reviewer says the mom left the ER weeks later unable to walk, attributing the decline to the facility's actions.
• They state that most staff rarely interacted with the mom and she was often found lying in bed.
• They allege that a few staff were paid extra for six hours per day of "special activities," which they insist never occurred.
• They recount that the manager did not follow up after the incident; only the owner - who is related - called and was rude, crass, and brazen.
• They feel the social worker's care conference blamed them and misrepresented what was said.
• They describe the exit and the mom's regression as cruelty at its finest.

Review

This account tells a painful story of years of care that began with hope and ended in a cascade of decisions that left a family shaken and a mother whose health was compromised in a way the writer cannot forget. The narrator describes a long period during which their mother, who was legally blind and had suffered a stroke, lived in a facility that they believed would provide steady support. Over time, however, the very people entrusted with her daily well?being began to signal that caring for her was becoming more than they could manage. The reviewer recalls being told by staff that her mother's needs were turning into "too much care" for the team, a message that would come back to haunt them when the time came to move forward.

In a devastating twist, the week they were told of this risk, the facility's owner - the person who was supposed to be overseeing things but who was described as barely present - took it upon themselves to call the family with a stark ultimatum: they would drop the mother off at the emergency room and she would not be allowed to return to the home. The mother, who had walked into the ER with a walker, left weeks later unable to walk and was left in a hospital bed, crying to come home. The reviewer portrays the ER stay as a cruel and senseless outcome of the facility's decision to exit her care, a decision that not only frightened the mother but also caused lasting regression that the family believed could have been prevented with a different approach.

When the family attended the care conference, the social worker and others joined by conference call. The review asserts that Harmony (the facility in question) blamed the family during that meeting, suggesting that they had been told the mother was becoming too burdensome to care for. The narrator disputes the idea that the family had been given adequate time to address the situation, insisting they were told only days to mobilize and find a new placement. The author highlights a troubling claim made by Harmony that the mother was "like family" to them, a sentiment that feels accusatory rather than comforting in light of how the exit was handled. The caller who reached out to the family, the owner, and the owner's relative who ran the place bore the brunt of the confrontation, with the reviewer left feeling that respect and empathy had dissolved into proprietorial pragmatism.

In describing day-to-day life at the facility, the reviewer paints a stark contrast between the ideal of compassionate care and the lived reality. They say their mother spent most visits lying in bed, with little genuine interaction from staff. While they acknowledge that not all staff were indifferent, the majority of encounters felt emotionally distant, with few moments of warmth or engagement. There were occasional staff members who appeared to truly care, sometimes taking the mother for a walk or engaging with her in a meaningful way. The reviewer later learned from the social worker that some staff were purportedly paid extra for providing six hours of "special activities" with the mom each day - a claim the reviewer says did not reflect what was actually happening on the ground. Nonetheless, the presence of even a single caring staff member, who later reached out to express concern, stands out in a narrative otherwise dominated by neglect and a sense of missed opportunity.

The emotional impact of the abrupt exit is central to the story. The mother's sudden removal, coupled with the lack of a supportive, coordinated transition plan, is described as the kind of decision that caused a severe decline in her condition. The reviewer emphasizes that the family received little to no follow?up from the facility's management after the call that triggered the exit. The confrontation during the move?out process - the owner's son and the manager not engaging with the family in a helpful way, instead taking offense at the family's need to collect their loved one's belongings - left a lasting sting. The reviewer recalls feeling betrayed by a system that had been entrusted with their mother's care, and they express a determination to find a better path for her in the wake of that experience.

Since leaving Harmony, the mother has found a different home where the care is described as far more interactive, with ongoing rehabilitation aimed at helping her regain leg strength. The new environment is praised for its more active approach to therapy, its staff's willingness to work with her to regain mobility, and the overall improvement in her quality of life. The reviewer notes that the new facility's approach contrasts sharply with the earlier experience, praising the daily interactions, the targeted rehab efforts, and the staff's commitment to engaging with their mother rather than keeping her largely sedentary. In this forward?looking part of the story, there is genuine hope that continued rehabilitation and better support will lead to real improvements.

Despite the lingering pain of the past, the writer ends with a cautious - but clear - warning to others: if a loved one has no special needs and is comfortable merely sitting and watching TV, Harmony might be acceptable. But for someone with significant needs - such as blindness and a history of stroke - the reviewer believes the care provided at Harmony was insufficient and often neglectful. The reflection culminates in a strong admonition to prospective families to choose care options very carefully and to trust their instincts about who is truly meeting a patient's needs. In a closing, almost bitter, note, the reviewer acknowledges the presence of a "Great place!" line, a final paradox that underscores the overall complexity of their experience: a story of harm and heartbreak interwoven with glimpses of better, more responsive care found elsewhere.

Located in Superior, Wisconsin, this part of town offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities for senior living. With multiple transportation options nearby such as Thompson Rental and Richard I Bong Airport, getting around is easy. Residents can enjoy a variety of dining options including Fullers Family Restaurant and Dolce Vita Restaurant, as well as cafes like Corner Cafe South End Superior for a cozy atmosphere. For medical needs, there are several physician offices and hospitals in close proximity, such as Lake Superior Community Health Center and St Luke's Mariner Medical Clinic. Additionally, pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens are available for prescription needs. Nature enthusiasts will appreciate the nearby parks such as K9 Haas Memorial Dog Park and Amnicon Falls State Park for serene outdoor activities. Overall, this area provides a comfortable and accessible environment for seniors looking to settle down in Superior.

Transportation

• Thompson Rental (1.5 miles)
• Richard I Bong Airport (SUW) (2.5 miles)
• BNSF Railway (3.6 miles)
• BNSF Railway (5.2 miles)
• Papa Bear Taxidermy (8.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Fullers Family Restaurant (1.6 miles)
• Wide World of Wings (1.7 miles)
• Dolce Vita Restaurant (1.7 miles)
• Arby's (3.3 miles)
• Applebee's (3.5 miles)
• Grizzly's Grill N' Saloon (3.7 miles)
• Taco John's (4.4 miles)

Cafes

• Corner Cafe South End Superior (1.7 miles)
• Peet's Coffee and Tea (4.9 miles)
• Empire Coffee (5.5 miles)
• Caribou Coffee (9.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Darrow Road Wesleyan Church (2.1 miles)
• Twin Ports Baptist Church (4.9 miles)
• North Bay Community Church (5.1 miles)
• Dewey Borea Gospel Tabernacle (5.6 miles)
• St Andrews by-the-Lake Episcopal Church (7.7 miles)

Physicians

• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgical Associates (3.4 miles)
• Lake Superior Community Health Center (3.6 miles)
• Twin Ports Va Clinic (3.6 miles)
• Essentia Health St Mary's-Superior Clinic (3.6 miles)
• Rolando R Rosas MD (3.7 miles)
• Vision Pro Optical (4.4 miles)
• Mariner Medical Clinic (4.5 miles)

Hospitals

• Va Superior Clinic (3.6 miles)
• St Luke's Mariner Medical Clinic (4.5 miles)
• Denfeld Medical Center (7.4 miles)

Pharmacies

• St Mary's Duluth Clinic Health (3.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.3 miles)
• Walgreens (4.8 miles)
• Essentia Health-Superior Pharmacy (4.9 miles)
• Super One Foods (5 miles)
• Super One Foods (5.2 miles)
• Essentia Health (5.3 miles)

Parks

• K9 Haas Memorial Dog Park (6.1 miles)
• Amnicon Falls State Park (6.2 miles)
• Norton Park (7 miles)
• Pattison State Park (7.6 miles)
• Chambers Grove (8.6 miles)
• Lincoln Park (8.6 miles)
• Proctor Historical Park (8.8 miles)

Theaters

• Duluth Cinema Duluth, Mn (9.5 miles)