Gentiva - Montgomery

My mother is currently with Gentiva Hospice. Last night I found a new slightly bloody wound protruding from my mother's colostomy bag. I called the after hours line. The nurse, Amy called me back. I expressed concerns and asked Amy if she would come out to help me. Amy told me that there was nothing she could do several times. I repeatedly asked Amy to come out and see if there was possibly something she could do. Amy asked me to send her a picture of my mother's wound but changed her mind about that. Amy told me that my case manager, Anne Marie, would likely have to make a visit the next day and order a different colostomy bag for my mother. I asked Amy again if she would just come out and help me with the wound care. Amy repeatedly told me that there was nothing she could do because she didn't have any supplies. I let Amy know that I have supplies that we might possibly be able to use I just really needed her to take a look at the wound and give me some guidance. The phone went silent and the called was mysteriously gone. I called the after hours line again and they sent Linda out to assist me. There was indeed things that could have been done and I actually had the supplies Linda needed to clean and protect the wound until my mother's case manager, Anne Marie , could pay us a visit today. Linda simply cut the adhesive covering the wound away, cleaned the wound and protected the wound. She showed me what to do and as a caregiver that's all I wanted. I was terrified that the would might become septic because of the location. Linda's guidance was exactly what I needed in that moment. No caregiver should ever feel unseen, unheard and unsupported. Amy absolutely made me feel alone. Amy made me feel worthless. Amy made me feel like my mother doesn't matter and neither do I. She was not there to help me comfort my mother. She simply told me time and time again that there was nothing she could do. Imagine that! She refused to come out to see if there was anything she could do but she INSISTED that there was nothing she could do. For a brief minute I internalized her blatant dismissal and I actually thought that perhaps she didn't want to come out and help me because we are Black people. She actually is not the first after hours nurse to dismiss my concerns but she was the first one that I've asked to come out and I've been blatantly dismissed by.

I feel badly that it’s taken me a year to write this review of this wonderful group of people. I had to move my 93 year old mother here from Miss where she had another hospice service. Gentiva was recommended to me by my granddaughter who is a nurse here in Montgomery and said they were known by nurses to be very good. They were. In every way. From helping me manage her care and her pain and daily needs. A very sweet pastor and RN helped me and all the way to the end we couldn’t have had better. I’m a retired NP also. I really recommend Gentiva Hospice. Thank you

My mother was a Gentiva hospice patient for nine months, and her primary care physician described it as “the most loving, caring thing I could do for her as a daughter.” He was right. Mom loved her nurse, Ann Marie. We all did; in fact, when mom passed I missed her nurse like another family member. Ann Marie was a compassionate skilled nurse for mom, and she was so patient and informative for me when I asked dozens of questions. She supported my efforts in taking care of mom, and she discussed with me various ways of keeping mom comfortable and as strong as possible. My mother died in September, and we miss her so very much, but I feel confident as her full-time caregiver that I did the best I could for her, and that includes nurse Ann Marie and the whole hospice experience.