The Elms Care and Rehabilitation Center

Pros

• Violet D. received attentive care at The Elms, with activities that kept her engaged and happy during her stay.
• Barbara and Mackenzie were praised for their advocacy and support for residents, ensuring they felt valued and cared for.
• The patio area provided a welcoming outdoor space for residents to enjoy family visits and time outside.
• The staff was noted for their dedication, even when facing challenges with staffing shortages.
• The Elms was found to be superior in size and care compared to other facilities by some families.
• The atmosphere was described as comfortable and accommodating, making a positive impact on residents and their families during difficult times.

Cons

• The facility is often short-staffed, leading to long wait times for assistance when using call bells, sometimes taking up to 30 minutes.
• The cleanliness of the bathrooms is frequently criticized as being dirty.
• Residents report receiving cold and poorly prepared food, particularly tough meat that is difficult to cut.
• Some residents feel unsafe due to the lack of timely responses from staff regarding medication and care needs.
• Communication with staff is inadequate, especially on weekends when phone calls go unanswered or are met with indifference.
• There are complaints about the overall care quality being subpar, with experienced staff being in short supply.
• Multiple residents feel that their personal care needs are not adequately addressed, potentially resulting in health complications like skin breakdown and falls.

Review

The Elms Care and Rehabilitation Center: A Mixed Bag of Experiences

The Elms Care and Rehabilitation Center, located in Milford, has been a focal point for many families seeking long-term care for their loved ones. The facility offers a variety of services tailored to residents with differing needs, including those suffering from chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. While some families have expressed satisfaction with the level of care provided during challenging times—particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic—others have voiced serious concerns regarding staffing shortages, cleanliness, and overall quality of life within the center.

One reviewer reflected positively on their mother Violet D.’s experience at The Elms over a span of 1.5 years before her passing in 2020. Living nearby allowed for frequent visits that were described as reassuring and fulfilling. The reviewer noted that their mother always appeared clean and well-dressed, actively participating in activities that contributed to her happiness despite her Alzheimer’s condition. They specifically praised Barbara, an activities coordinator who was instrumental in keeping residents engaged during challenging times when visitation was restricted due to COVID-19. The review highlighted the importance of family involvement during end-of-life moments, expressing gratitude for being allowed to be by their mother's side.

Conversely, several reviews underscored significant operational issues that marred the overall impression of The Elms. Concerns were raised about understaffing resulting in delayed responses to residents' call bells—sometimes taking as long as twenty minutes to half an hour before assistance arrived. One resident remarked that while they appreciated having meals together in the dining room again after lockdowns, they often found parts of the facility lacking basic cleanliness, such as dirty bathrooms. Others echoed concerns about subpar food quality; tough meats were cited as particularly unappetizing.

Residents recovering from surgeries also reported distressing experiences within the rehab section of the facility. One individual detailed how their stay following knee replacement surgery was fraught with delays in therapy sessions, medication mismanagement, and inadequate attention from staff during critical hours. This led to feelings of insecurity regarding safety within the facility itself and complaints about loud environments making rest difficult due to incessantly ringing phones—a sign of poor communication among staff.

Several reviews conveyed anguish about ineffective communication between staff and families trying to obtain information about their loved ones’ wellbeing. This situation became more complicated during weekends when phone lines were often left unanswered or responded to dismissively by overwhelmed personnel. One reviewer emphasized how vital it became for them to set up a portal system for real-time insights into their mother’s care after witnessing so many shortcomings firsthand.

Despite these concerns, there were glowing acknowledgments for some employees who made notable efforts amidst pervasive challenges. Staff members like Barbara and Mackenzie received commendation for advocating on behalf of residents and helping families navigate difficulties associated with caregiving facilities during tumultuous periods like COVID-19 lockdowns.

Ultimately, while The Elms Care and Rehabilitation Center has its share of heartfelt testimonials praising individualized care under certain circumstances—especially when personalized attention is illustrated—it remains evident that systemic inadequacies must be addressed promptly if it aims to provide consistently high-quality support across all levels of operation. Families continuing their search for assisted living options should consider both sides represented in these reviews when evaluating potential residency decisions at this community.

Pharmacies

• Rite Aid (0.1 miles)
• Rite Aid (0.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
• Rite Aid (1.9 miles)
• Walgreens (1.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (6.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (6.6 miles)

Parks

• Keyes Memorial Park (0.1 miles)
• Merrimack Commons (9.1 miles)
• Greeley Park (10.5 miles)
• Edward Roy Memorial Park (10.6 miles)
• Nuthin' But Good Times (10.9 miles)
• Pack Monadnock Summit (11.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Wendy's (0.3 miles)
• Grill603 (0.5 miles)
• Windows on West Street (0.5 miles)
• Subway (0.7 miles)
• My Sister's Kitchen (0.9 miles)
• Phil's Old-Fashioned BBQ (2.2 miles)
• Copper Kettle To Go (4.1 miles)

Cafes

• Union Coffee Company (0.4 miles)
• Hilltop Cafe (4.4 miles)
• Buckley's Bakery & Cafe (7.3 miles)
• The Cozy Tea Cart (7.4 miles)
• Starbucks (7.7 miles)
• Starbucks (9.4 miles)
• The Inside Scoop (9.6 miles)

Physicians

• Sj Family Medical Centers (1.3 miles)
• Nashua Eye Associates (1.8 miles)
• Gateway Pediatrics (2.8 miles)
• Kajenski Carissa APRN (4.2 miles)
• Wright & Associates Family Healthcare (5.2 miles)
• Amherst Family Practice (5.4 miles)
• Amherst Medical Associates (5.4 miles)

Theaters

• Milford Drive-In Theater (2.1 miles)
• Chunky's Cinema Pub - Nashua (9.5 miles)

Transportation

• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (3 miles)

Hospitals

• Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital (6.2 miles)
• St Joseph Adult Day Health Center (7.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Resurrection Parish (9 miles)
• Temple Forest Monastery (9.5 miles)
• Congregational Church of Temple (9.9 miles)