Three big problems: #1 My mom's wedding ring went missing while she was a patient at Haven in April 2013, and has not been recovered. This 14K yellow gold ring with a diamond cluster totaling 1 carat in a baseball diamond shape has huge sentimental value for our family. I couldn't get it off her finger for safekeeping before she was admitted. I was told on the phone that night by a Haven nurse that if it was too tight to get it off her finger it would be fine. I asked if they would cut it off and they said no. ADVICE: Do not hesitate to call firefighters if you need a valuable ring cut off before a loved one is admitted to a hospital like this one. Otherwise, you may have the same experience and never see the wedding ring again. The followup by Haven for ring recovery has been non-existent. I don't think there was an internal report or a thorough search of the facility. They did not list the ring on her property report when she was admitted, although an aide remembers seeing it on her hand earlier in the week. They did not note in her chart that it was missing at the time I visited and noticed it was missing (Plus, my mom told a doctor, who noted it in his report as an "overt delusion", "My diamonds are missing." In this case, it was not a delusion; it actually happened. How sad is that?) An aide and I searched her room for it while I was visiting. As far as I know, they did not thoroughly search the rest of the patients' rooms for the ring, look at all (35 or so) patients' hands for the ring or check with families of discharged patients, including her roommate, to describe the missing wedding ring. We are willing to pay a reward for the return of the ring.
#2 The extensive education for families promised on their website was not extensive at all. I got a call from a doctor right after she was admitted and after that I could not even get a medication report while I was visiting (the nurse was too busy), and I could not get a doctor to call me back with information on her treatment and prognosis before she was discharged. Upon discharge I was told that a doctor could not call me back once she was discharged. I have power of attorney for my mom and I then requested medical records, which took weeks to arrive, but reading through those is not as helpful as having a doctor review the case with the responsible family member. The website promises (that went unfulfilled) are as follows: "Extensive education and support for patients and families.
Involvement of family, caregivers and referral sources in treatment planning"
#3 I was told by an independent worker in senior care that Haven "works wonders", but unfortunately in my mom's case, there was only a slight improvement. If she has to go to another facility like this, I hope there is a better option in the Phoenix metro area, as I do not want her to go back to this one. Please let me know if you have any experiences, good or bad, at other behavioral facilities for seniors.