Ciel Senior Living of Issaquah

Ciel recently started operating this facility and I immediately saw an improvement in the overall cleanliness. The common areas floors were no longer sticky. My family members room was being kept up better. Within a few months, however, the rates hiked by a significant amount. While that's not too surprising given the current inflation in the region, it went up by much higher than I expected. Then I started noticing that my family members personal care started to decrease. Her hair was oily and it was clear she wasn't getting bathed (body odors too). It's harder to get a hold of this team too, when the previous ownership group always (yes always) responded promptly. It feels like I traded personal care/customer service for an improved facility cleanliness - all for a hefty price. 3.5 stars

I brought my mom here to be closer to us after her last remaining sibling died (and following the sudden deaths of my brother and father). That was six months ago. Now, I’m moving her out. I had hoped this place would be as they said it would be, but from the get-go, my mom noticed it was “all for show” and was never happy here. Due to what truly seems to be negligence, ineptitude, and lack of transparency and communication throughout the organization, my mother, who would walk everywhere with her walker, is now confined to a wheelchair. Despite numerous attempts to get staff to monitor her walking via myself and outside PT and OT, they refused…Out of what? My guess is laziness, ignorance, and impatience. Because they were too lazy or impatient to stand by while she used her walker, they opted to plop her in a wheelchair, days on end, with her legs dangling, resulting in edema (severe swelling and pooling of blood in her legs, not allowing proper blood flow back to the heart.) Not only is this extremely dangerous from a health perspective, it resulted in added costs, as I needed to buy compression socks and cushions to mitigate what they’ve done to her. Not to mention endless PT and OT to get her walking again…& Ciel not following her care plan. Staff don’t change gloves after toileting, nor after removing and replacing table settings. Just the other day, staff were dumping packets of sugar into my mom’s coffee. She’s diabetic. She hasn’t had sugar in her coffee since the 90s. They’ve left her on the toilet alone (she’s a fall risk, and fell numerous times upon arriving here)…One fall was so bad she nearly sliced her ear off and required numerous stitches, yet no one was able to tell me how she fell or upon what. When I request toileting, they don’t seem to want to do it, and want ME to do it. The daughter of a resident who recently died here told me they’re too busy on their phones and you have to tell them to do their jobs (toileting, etc.) Emails to nurses went unanswered. I find out later this is because either the nurses quit or were fired. I have no idea. And no one was monitoring their emails to respond, obviously, either. I’ve witnessed staff digging food out of residents’ mouths whilst yelling at other employees staff, “Tu tienes la culpa! Es tu culpa!” (You’re at fault! It’s your fault!) I’ve been there when staff have allowed another resident to pilfer through my mom’s things in my mom’s room. My son was witness to this, as well. I finally had to request the woman leave, as we were simply trying to visit my mom in her room, not fend off sticky fingers. And, her closet and clothes are a disaster. Laundry just thrown and piled in, much of it not even hers. A daughter of another resident told me they had women’s garments on her father. My mom’s favorite clothing has gone missing. Hundreds of dollars worth of new, Parkinson’s-specific clothing: gone. When I talk to “upper” staff about this, I get one of two responses, “The staff don’t like it when I tell them to do things”, and “I told them to do it”. There’s also the “we’ve done trainings”, but there’s no accountability, change, or follow through. Just hollow, meaningless words that don’t express any culpability in the litigious and for-profit corporate world that is senior “care”. There’s a definite feeling this company cares more about acquisitions than humans. Getting staff to request a urinalysis is like pulling teeth, too. Due to infrequent and improper toileting, my mom ended up with a UTI. It took days for them to get an order in to check for infection. Then, when I asked for follow-up, they told me to call it in myself. After this nightmare of an experience, I got a notice early December that my mom’s rent will be raised $1000/mo in Jan and her health care costs will be raised $2250/mo. A 42% increase. No thanks. Fortunately, mom is now in a new place with food that she loves and people who care. A canned response will follow telling me to contact Alexis (whom I’ve already contacted) further demonstrating lack of communication & care.

This is not in retaliation for the recent concerns you have had- this is what I was being told as an eviction letter was slid across the table at a care conference that I had asked for many times when I realized my dad was not getting his proper medication. My dad had been “model resident” according to the management and staff. On Thanksgiving when I picked up my dad he was complaining of a lot of pain and when I got his meds for an overnight I realized he was no longer being given his sleep medication/mood stabilizer. That’s why my dad was in so much pain- if he doesn’t get his medication he doesn’t sleep and yes his mood changes. It was during the time he was off his medication that he apparently had some behavioral issues (common behavior issues for people Alzheimer’s) but managed with his medication. No problems before that or since he has been back on his medication. I really loved Columbia Landing but since Ciel has taken over it’s been a complete nightmare. I didn’t fight the eviction or ask them to wait to see if my dad getting back on his medication would help. I knew at that point that I needed to get him out of there. I was told that the issues I was having with the facility was just a “transition period “ and that things would get better. That didn’t happen and things got worse. I know that 7-8 other families have made a complaint with the state and so have I. What this company is doing to their residents is wrong and disgusting- these people are already confused and because of the lack of education, activities, and care they get a eviction notice if they are anything but perfect and have to move again. While they say they are still part of the old company I was told while being given the eviction notice by Franz Ecker that the reason he is their is because the previous administration was doing a horrible job and they were coming from out of state to fix it. I should also add that Franz should stay seated during a eviction notice and not stand up and over someone while he’s upset- I wonder if he talked to my dad like that- it was scary for me and I don’t have moderate to late stage Alzheimer’s. My dad is a veteran, retired firefighter/paramedic and was apart of FEMA- he served his community his whole life and deserved a lot better than what Ciel did to him. He is now at a new a facility where he is very happy and having no behavioral issues- however this facility has said if my dad has behavioral issues they will work with his dr to get medication to calm the behaviors- what a concept. I thought Ciel would do this- as behaviors are common in Alzheimer’s patients. What a horrible nightmare this has been. My dad has been in his new facility for almost a month now and all is well. I was very devastated by the eviction notice at first but it’s been the biggest blessing for my dad as he now gets the card he deserves and I feel comfortable with where he is.

Was wonderful years ago but has gone downhill since sold. We’re moving our mother out. She has been neglected to the point that hospice after one visit told us to move her. She’s been treated for dehydration, has no supplies in her room, clothes missing, dirty room and the list goes on. Would give 1/2 star if I could.

UPDATE —- 4 days after posting the facility retaliated and sent a termination notice with 30-day notice to find alternative services and housing. Let me be clear. You dont do your job, your given an opportunity to correct that, you dont, the State is notified and somehow you take out your lack of comeptency on an old woman on hospice close to death? Wow, would never recommend this place. 6 years here, with no complaints. We worked with the facility over a period of months to follow her care plan. Finally called the state and reported the neglect including severe dehydration resulting in blocked saliva glands, reported that she was found in bed unattended naked from the waste down. No cover, no sheet, no dignity. Hospice documented dried feces stuck to her to the point they had to use a spray bottle with water to scrub it off. Is this is your level of professionalism, compassion and care? Check with the state before considering this facility. My mother has been a resident for 6 years. This facility was amazing when it opened. She was happy and well taken care of up until the last 6 months, and its been a disaster. They use to go out for ice cream, have amazing activities all day and one by one the tremendouse staff has quit and moved on to new locations. Many of the reviews on here are from that time period; I recognize the families names. This property has been sold and the quality of care has collapsed. Fieldstone to Park Avenue Lifestyle to Ciel Living - UGH. They are working on bringing staff levels back up, but is too slow and the lack of following a care plan is causing harm to my mother. There is NO LONGER and RN on staff. That was a big differentiator for our family and between other facilities. The RN works out of the Wenatchee facility, but lives in Minnesota or Michigan, i dont recall which. The Interim Exec Director also lives in North Carolina. They are transitioning management and these things take time, but spend the money and keep the staffing levels appropriate and relevant for the number of people in your care. Our family is struggling with the care team following the care plan. The knowledge is Tribal and kept in a select group of people. There is no transition or book to record changes and updates in behavior between shifts. This used to take place, but new managment has done away with this and moved it to 100% digital records. Digital is great, except only the medtechs can access the system. I have reported them to the state twice now for neglect. I dont want to get in to the details, but the medical plan is not being followed. I think that they are caring people and mean well. I have found them to be responsive when you point something out, or ask for help. The problem is they lack leadership and onsite management to keep the place operating at their previous levels. I know transition takes time, but observe, learn, get to know the team before you come in and gut it and throw out all the policy and procedures that made the place successful.