Guilderland Center Nursing Hm

Pros

• The Hospice staff were angels and provided the compassionate care the family needed, even crying when they saw how neglected the mother had been.
• Ali, The Grand's Admission Director, delivered over-the-top communication and coordinated the hospital-to-facility transfer smoothly.
• Abby, the social worker, remained in constant contact to ensure the uncle's assessment and needs were being met.
• The PT, OT, and ST teams handled the uncle's care beautifully, with respect and reassuring updates on his condition and progress.
• The staff handled all paperwork, insurance, and prescriptions efficiently.
• The family was extremely pleased with the care and communication from The Grand's staff, and they described the process as seamless and excellent.

Cons

• The Grand staff neglected the patient by not giving pain medication for days and leaving the call button out of reach.
• They failed to keep the patient clean, properly dressed, or comfortable, not changing her hospital gown.
• They ignored the patient's attempts to signal for help, and staff were not responsive while she was unable to speak.
• The environment was unsafe and unsupervised, with residents wandering, loud roommates, and bathrooms without locks.
• Wound care instructions were ignored, with dressings not changed as ordered and bloodstains left on socks or linens.
• The Grand was cited repeatedly for public health code violations, signaling systemic safety concerns.
• Care was disorganized and inconsistent, with nurses giving conflicting instructions about wound care.
• The reviewer believes The Grand should be shut down and warns others to avoid it to prevent suffering.

Review

The experiences described at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing facilities - specifically the locations in Altamont and Guilderland - form a disturbingly consistent picture of inadequate care, communication breakdowns, and environments that seemed more chaotic than supportive for residents who were already vulnerable. The accounts center on painful family episodes, where a dying mother and an elderly grandfather became the focal point of a care system that the families felt failed them at their most critical moments. Taken together, the narratives present a strongly negative assessment of the level of attention, safety, and dignity afforded to residents, punctuated by a rare contrasting tale of competent and compassionate care from a different staff subset.

At the heart of one mother's story is a sequence of decisions that the family strongly disputes and an environment they felt did not meet basic standards of safety or comfort. The hospital social worker made a last-minute decision to transfer the mother to The Grand on a Friday, describing the placement as moving her "almost ready for actual Hospice" care, a framing the family vehemently contested. Over the ensuing days, the family says the mother, who had been majorly disabled by a stroke, recent fractures, chronic pain, and limited capacity to communicate, was left with a call button out of reach, unable to have her needs promptly addressed. They claim she was not moved out of the hospital gown she arrived in and was left in a setting where a loud, disruptive roommate persisted and the TV blared at full volume around the clock. The mother reportedly did not receive pain medication for an extended period, despite clear signs of distress and significant underlying illnesses, including infections that later manifested as cellulitis and facial swelling. A striking detail cited is dried blood seen on her mouth and face with no explanation offered. By the time the family could appeal the decision and move her back to hospital care, she had deteriorated; only after transitioning to Hospice did she experience a marked improvement - described as two peaceful days with Hospice staff who provided the compassionate, appropriate care that the Grand staff allegedly failed to offer. The family emphasizes that Hospice staff, who arrived later, were "angels," contrasting starkly with the neglect they perceived at The Grand.

The family's critique extends beyond this individual case to a broader sense of unsafe conditions and inconsistent care practices within the facility. They describe residents wandering unsupervised, shared bathrooms without locks, and a general atmosphere where staff were not readily available. Such conditions, they contend, made it difficult for families to monitor their loved ones or feel confident that basic hygiene and safety standards were being met. They describe situations where persistent, loud, and disruptive noises - like a roommate's coughing and a TV on full blast - interfered with the ability to converse with loved ones or understand a resident's needs, especially when the resident was unable to communicate effectively. In their view, these environmental factors fed into a broader pattern of neglect, including pockets of apparent odor, unsanitary conditions, and a lack of timely responses to calls for help.

A parallel but distinctly different narrative centers on the grandfather's experience in which wound care and daily maintenance routines were described as disorganized and inconsistent. The family reports that wound dressing changes were supposed to occur twice daily according to Albany Medical Center's instructions, yet several staff members offered conflicting guidance - some saying twice a day, others once daily, and some suggesting "as needed." There is a troubling account of a nurse admitting that two days had passed since the last dressing change, and the grandmother repeatedly had to intervene to ensure proper care, including changing the bed sheets after staff reportedly gave her the runaround for hours. The family also notes ongoing concerns about the cleanliness of linens and the appearance of blood in socks, and they recount dismissive attitudes when they raised questions about a patient's urine color or overall status. The culmination of these concerns came after discharge was followed by the grandfather's rapid decline at home, with pneumonia and sepsis developing shortly thereafter and a subsequent return to the hospital. In their view, the deterioration was not incidental but connected to the quality of in-facility care.

Compounding the sense of alarm is a reference to public records and media coverage that the reviewer cites to underscore their suspicion that these problems are systemic rather than isolated incidents. The Times Union is mentioned as having reported 88 public health code violations attributed to The Grand between 2018 and 2021, and the reviewer also points to a lawsuit involving a patient who died in 2021 from pneumonia and sepsis after care at The Grand. Such details are presented as evidence of a broader pattern of risk and failure, rather than mere anecdotes. The reviewer expresses disbelief that the facility remains open and operational given these documented concerns, framing the situation as one in which vulnerable residents are exposed to preventable harms and avoidable suffering.

Amid these strongly negative assessments, there is at least one contrasting example of care that the reviewer does acknowledge as exemplary. The family describes their uncle's experience, where staff from The Grand's team - specifically the Admission Director Ali, and Abby the social worker - provided "over the top" communication and coordinated a seamless transition from hospital to rehab. The multidisciplinary team - PT, OT, and ST - was praised for handling the uncle's case with respect, reassurance, and clear communication, and the family appreciated the administrative support that simplified insurance and prescription processes. This positive account stands in sharp relief to the overall narrative of neglect, suggesting that the quality of care at The Grand can vary significantly by staff, shift, or circumstance.

The review closes with a pointed, emotional warning: if families want to avoid end-of-life distress and the kind of neglect described, they should not consider The Grand for precious loved ones. The author emphasizes that momentum toward change or accountability feels insufficient without greater scrutiny of the facility's practices, and they mention that a year-long reflection has reinforced their belief in the severity of the problems. They also note that their attempt to attach photographs and video evidence - such as a nurse call button left within reach of an immobile patient and a room with soiled linens and persistent loud noise - was not possible in the online posting platform, further underscoring their sense that the truth of what occurred is hard to fully convey through secondhand summaries alone.

In sum, the narratives paint a troubling portrait of care experiences at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing, where the mother's decline and death occurred amid serious complaints about timely pain management, responsiveness, wound care, and overall safety. The grandfather's case adds a dimension of inconsistent clinical treatment, conflicting instructions, and avoidable infections that followed discharge. Against these hardships, the occasional report of effective, compassionate care from a subset of staff - most notably for another family member - serves to illustrate that not all interactions with The Grand are uniformly negative. Taken together, the accounts urge prospective families to exercise caution, demand transparency, and scrutinize care plans closely when faced with serious health declines or hospice-appropriate needs, recognizing that experiences at The Grand appear to vary widely and, in the view of these reviewers, often skew toward neglect and risk.

This part of Guilderland Center, New York offers a variety of amenities that may be appealing to seniors looking for a convenient and vibrant community. There are multiple pharmacies nearby, providing easy access to prescription medications and healthcare services. In addition, there are several reputable physicians specializing in various medical fields within close proximity. The area also boasts a selection of restaurants and cafes for dining out or grabbing a quick bite to eat. Places of worship offer opportunities for spiritual fulfillment, while parks provide tranquil outdoor spaces for leisurely walks or relaxation. For those in need of medical care, hospitals are located within a short distance. Transportation options such as car rental services and easy access to the airport make traveling convenient for residents. Additionally, entertainment options like theaters offer cultural experiences for those seeking social activities. Overall, this area provides a well-rounded community with essential services and recreational opportunities for seniors considering senior living in Guilderland Center.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.7 miles)
• Walgreens (3.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.7 miles)
• Optum Infusion Services (5.7 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (5.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.9 miles)
• Walgreens (6 miles)

Physicians

• Pattison Theta S (1.8 miles)
• Center For Sports Medicine (2.1 miles)
• Capital Care Family Practice Guilderland (2.1 miles)
• Retina Consultants At Great Oaks (5.9 miles)
• Bailey Filipp & Wakil Eye Physicians & Surgeons (5.9 miles)
• Stephen Sipperly, DO (5.9 miles)
• Dr Robert H Dropkin, MD (6.2 miles)

Restaurants

• Indian Ladder Farmstead Cidery and Brewery (3.2 miles)
• Capital City Diner (5.2 miles)
• The Standard Restaurant & Lounge (5.7 miles)
• McDonald's (5.8 miles)
• McDonald's (5.8 miles)
• McDonald's (6.1 miles)
• Tops American Grill, Bakery & Bar (6.2 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (3.5 miles)
• Panera Bread (5.8 miles)
• Starbucks (6.2 miles)
• Starbucks (6.2 miles)
• Starbucks (6.8 miles)
• Panera Bread (7.5 miles)
• Villa Italia (7.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Astral Journeys Center (4.7 miles)
• New Covenant Presbyterian Church (7.9 miles)
• Bethlehem Lutheran Church (8.6 miles)

Parks

• Cook Playground (6.4 miles)
• North Bethlehem Park (6.6 miles)
• Collins Circle (7.1 miles)
• Miracle Playground (8.6 miles)

Hospitals

• Albany Medical Center (7 miles)
• Bellevue Woman's Care Center (7.6 miles)
• Ellis Hospital (8.5 miles)
• Cancer Care Center (8.5 miles)
• St Peter's Hospital (8.5 miles)
• St Peter's Hospital (8.6 miles)

Theaters

• Regal Colonie Center & RPX (7.3 miles)

Transportation

• Schenectady Amtrak Station (7.9 miles)
• National Car Rental (8.2 miles)
• Southwest Airlines (8.3 miles)
• Albany International Airport (ALB) (8.3 miles)
• Terminal B (8.3 miles)