St. James House of Baytown

I believe every patient and their family will have a unique experience, and for my dad, the care provided by his nurses was exceptional. Although I don’t remember their names, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude, especially to the nurses who provided one-on-one care. I also want to thank Sandy, who was incredibly supportive from day one through discharge. She always listened to my concerns, answered my questions, and made me feel valued. Never once did I feel like a burden to her, nor did I sense that she wanted my dad out of their care.

My overall experience with the leadership and processes at this facility left much to be desired. While the nursing staff’s efforts were commendable, the management’s actions significantly diminished my trust and confidence in their care. Here’s a summary of my experience:

Timeline of Events
Admission and Initial Care (10/11/2024):
My dad, who suffers from dementia and Alzheimer’s, was admitted to St. James. Over time, his condition led him to try to leave the facility. Although it is a secured facility, it is not fully secure. After 17 days, he attempted to escape and injured himself in the process, requiring hospitalization.

Refusal to Accept Return (Incident #1):
Around 1 AM, I received a call from the hospital stating that St. James was refusing to take my dad back. Despite numerous attempts to contact St. James, no one answered the phone. I had to pick him up from the hospital myself at 2 AM. The next day, St. James claimed this was a “communication error” between the nurse and head nurse.

Behavioral Hospital Recommendation:
Impromptu meeting with four staff members, I felt pressured to send my dad to OakBend Senior Behavioral Hospital or find another care facility. Based on their recommendation, I agreed. This decision turned out to be a nightmare. At OakBend, my dad was heavily medicated, lost the ability to walk independently, dropped over 10 pounds, and could barely speak. He returned to St. James on 11/20 in worse condition.

Second Hospitalization and Refusal (12/6/2024):
Only 16 days at St. James, staff reported that my dad was aggressive and sent him to the hospital. The hospital’s doctor contacted me, confused as to why my dad was admitted, as there was no medical reason. The doctor also mentioned he had been trying to contact St. James to send him back but received no response.

Lost Communication and Final Refusal (12/7/2024):
The social worker struggled to locate him and claimed he was “likely at Methodist Hospital.” I called the hospital directly and confirmed his location. After speaking with St. James, I discovered they were refusing to accept my dad back again. On 12/9 the behavior hospital informed me St. James is placing the responsibility on them find a new nursing home for my dad.

Termination of Services (12/13/2024):
After retrieving my dad’s belongings, I was invited to a meeting with St. James leadership. They stated they wanted to “help” find another facility or issue a 30-day notice. To me, this felt like an attempt to keep charging for services while he was no longer under their care. Despite repeated calls to check on the search for a new nursing home, I received vague responses, leaving me to feel that little effort was being made.

Key Concerns
The lack of communication during critical incidents was unacceptable. Calls went unanswered during emergencies, and I was left feeling unsupported and uninformed. Sending my dad to OakBend Senior Behavioral Hospital, where he deteriorated significantly, was a poor recommendation. This decision worsened his condition and created unnecessary trauma. The process felt disorganized and misleading, with the facility seeming more focused on financial gain than patient care. He was only in their care 33 days but was charged for practically 3 months.

While I appreciate the incredible work of the nurses and staff like Sandy, the leadership’s actions were deeply disappointing. My dad’s well-being suffered as a result of poor management and decision-making.

My brothers and I fell in love with the place and wanted to get our Mother in there, but good luck getting the Admissions Nurse to return any phone calls. My mom has been on the waiting list for many Months now. I call ever so often to touch base with the Admissions Nurse, but no response from her.

I went on a Feild trip here it was the best

I worked there a couple of times through Shiftkey agency and can not brag about the place enough. I worked mostly nights and worked with the best nurses that re