Bear Hill Rehab

March 2024: Mom landed back to back in February in the hospital. This time it’s her seasonal vertigo, which is early this year and presented differently. At 89 she has a whole body weakness to the point of no longer being able to walk. When asked about rehabs I didn’t hesitate to request Bear Hill Rehab in Stoneham. I know the reviews are all over the place for rehabs on the North Shore, but let me assure you, mom’s been to many in the past ten years for everything from her vertigo to collapsed discs. I’ve seen what the PT, nursing, and administration staff are like, and what their commitment is to their patients. I will swear by the dedication of the Bear Hill team. Mom is washed everyday and dressed. Mom gets vigorous OT and PT 6 days a week. Mom’s room is kept immaculate. Mom waits no longer than 5-10 minutes when she pushes the assistance button. Mom’s meals are always nice and hot at dinner time and are in line with her dietary needs. Mom raves about how kind and gentle the nurses are with her. She raves about the PT reps and how they understand if she can’t give them another five or ten of something, so they’ll smile and say; how about two more reps! Their new Short Term Rehab wing came out beautiful and was done with much attention to every detail. Let’s understand: No rehab, especially coming off COVID, is going to be the way we were accustomed to prior. The times of immediate responses to everything are gone. Staffing will probably never go back to what is was and I can’t blame the healthcare professionals who experienced more than anyone should in their lifetime. However, for the staffing Bear Hill has, the services are exceptional, and the follow-up is what we wish the industry standard would return to.
Summer 2023 review: My elderly mother has been in and out of rehabs for many years now due to chronic vertigo. She averages 2-3 times a year for 2 weeks at a time. This trip for a collapsed disc at the T9, and back to back trips because surgery wasn’t an option the first time. So within 5 weeks she was at 2 different rehabs. Had I known how outstanding Bear Hill is, I would have made sure this was the rehab used both times. NEVER in 8 years have I gotten a call from the rehab welcoming us, even before mom was discharged from the hospital. We were still waiting on transport and Jesse called to ask if we, the family had any questions or concerns, and to make sure if mom had a favorite blanket or pillow to feel free to bring it. Right then, I felt a weight lifted, knowing if I’m getting a call like this, from someone who genuinely cares, then this place must be pretty special. We got mom transported and on her arrival we were greeted immediately. I filled out whatever form were needed and got to talk to the Intake rep, as well as a social worker. When I left that night I felt like mom was in GREAT hands. One big plus, the get patients up, bathed, and dressed everyday. I found other rehabs left mom in her nightgown for the whole stay, even after I addressed it multiple times. The food here was great with a huge selection to choose from. The nurses desk was ALWAYS well staffed and you NEVER stood there twiddlng thumbs waiting for someone to acknowledge you, which had happened at so many other facilities. Mom got PT and OT up to an hour and a half a day. She made tremendous progress. When we were getting close to discharge time, bad weather hit the Boston area. They changed the discharge date to accommodate mom’s anxiety with bad weather. I even received calls at home from our Social Worker, who herself, was working from home due to the storm. She never missed a beat on taking care of everything remotely. Bear Hill’s services across the board were consistent, and outstanding. The facility itself was kept immaculate. This will be our go-to rehab and I will praise their staff for years to come.

I had a great visit with a close friend today and had a chance to observe several staff members interact with quite a few residents. I was really impressed to see how they treated each and every resident!

My father was admitted last night. So the care he has reviewed here is amazing. I had a couple of questions and they were answered completely. What a relief that they are on their game.

The care at Bear Hill is wonderful. The staff and administration are responsive, caring, and always available to answer questions.

Quality caregiving. Extra shout out to the PT/OT department. Claudia and Lexi. Nursing and PA staff helpful always friendly.

I am delighted to write a review on behalf of my mother, Virginia M, who has been a resident at Bear Hill Nursing for the past seven months. It brings me immense joy to see my mother so content and engaged in her new life at this nursing home. She has found a community where she can keep busy with various activities and socialize with new friends. The staff at Bear Hill Nursing has been attentive, compassionate, and dedicated to making my mother’s stay comfortable and enjoyable. I am grateful for the positive impact this facility has had on her quality of life. Thank you, Bear Hill Nursing, for providing a loving and nurturing environment for my mother.

I wanted to take a moment to acknowlege the compasionate care that Kay and her team are providing my uncle. It warms my heart to see how well he’s being taken care of and how content and engaged he is in the Bear Hill Community. Thank you so very much for the great work you all do!

This is the first time I went to visit my dad. The atmosphere was pleasant. The staff was polite and helpful. I’m happy my dad is here and he is too.

The physical and occupational therapists are fantastic! They are skilled, compassionate, and help me advocate for my mom. Thank you!!

New admission was treated with respect and dignity. Given good orientation to room and how to obtain assistance. Staff was friendly and helpful.

Great people. The Physical Therapists really care. They stop in during the day to see my mother. Ask how she is doing and tell her what to expect. The people who take care of her personal needs are also great. We feel very lucky that she’s there and being well cared for. The facility is clean and well-maintained.

I am writing to thank you for the excellent care that was provided for my Mom, Bernadette Muise, in D Unit at Bear Hill Rehab. It is a testament to the quality of Bear Hill that there are so many staff members who have been there for such a long time. The good reviews and comments that you receive are all deserved and you have the right to be proud.

I’d like to take this opportunity to address some workers at Bear Hill Nursing Center. First of all, my mom was a resident for close to 7 years. We lost her this March, 2020. Not because of covid but other reasons. We tried to make her years at Bear Hill the best ever , my family and I would visit every day to not only check on her but check the facilities and workers taking care of her. Everyday she was up and dressed and fed by 9am! One of her favorite aides was Elsa, who was in her 70’s and a strong amazing woman! It was incredible what this lady did at her age! Another favorite was Marie who always made my mom smile sharing her stories about her family and such. One of the top workers hands down was Sara Rao! She is in charge of the Entertainment! This is a huge job to handle and Sara did it with a smile and a song for all! Never a dull moment when it came to Bingo, Afternoon Tea on the patio, sing alongs, ( great voice on that girl) movie time! You name it, Sara would go out of her way to make everything so entertaining for the residents! Sara ALWAYS went out her way to say hello ,sharing hugs and making all the residents feel so special! She loved my mom and treated all the residents with love and compassion! There’s been a lot of changes these past few years at Bear Hill, all good. They could definitely use some renovations, hopefully that will happen soon. I want to thank all the workers that made these 7 years the best possible for my family and mom.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the wonderful care you provided to Catherine Weinstein before she passed away. You not only care for her physical needs but for her emotional well-being. I will always remember how you would place her at the front desk so she could greet everyone as they walked by . . ..asking them how they were . . . smiling and waving. It was good for Catherine, and maybe some others as well.

Thank you for being involved enough to recognize that.

My aunt Kay was hospitalized then transferred to Bear Hill Rehabilitation Center. While visiting her the other day, she told me that she had an exceptionally pleasant experience there. She asked me to submit this review for her. She said the facility was very clean, the food was great and members of the staff were very friendly towards her. My aunt wants to recognize the occupational therapists Medline and Elliott who were of great assistance in getting her back into shape. A woman named Amy from the rehabilitation department was helpful in obtaining equipment for her physical therapy and getting my aunt to agree to engage more help at home. Also a young lady named Diane the social services worker made a great impression on her…..she supported her during her stay and coordinated all her home health care needs for when she was discharged. My aunt made friends with another patient while there and is still friends to this day. She highly recommends Bear Hill.

My mother has been at Bear Hill for the past 3 weeks and the care has been top notch. All the boxes are checked: Good Rehab, food and a caring staff. My mothers needs/questions/concerns are handled quickly and exceeded my expectations. When long term care aka Nursing Home care is needed for my mother in the future, she really wants to go to Bear Hill. They never just leave patients laying in the bed, everyone is up and dressed in the morning and ready for the day which often includes fun activities (i.e Elvis Impersonator) along with wonderful care. We have had experiences with other Skilled Nursing Facilities and none of them measure up to Bear Hill!!!!

The team caring for my mom at Bear Hill Rehab had been top notch. Mom was first admitted to the D-Unit for temporary rehabilitation where she was treated with kindness and dignity. Her needs amplified, requiring resident status for an extended period. During this period, the onset of the COVID pandemic added unthinkable worry to our family while visitation was suspended. The care at Bear Hill continued seamlessly by the heroic staff, full of unsung hero’s and tested by a horrible pandemic. I would be remiss not to mention activities director, Sara, whom added a much needed and much appreciated liaison role to her daily routine to keep communications between mom and family during the difficult and always changing COVID situation, that included updates far outside what was considered regular working hours.
Many professional, unsung heroes work here!

My mother has been at Bear Hill for the past 3 weeks and the care has been top notch. All the boxes are checked: Good Rehab, food and a caring staff. My mothers needs/questions/concerns are handled quickly and exceeded my expectations. When long term care aka Nursing Home care is needed for my mother in the future, she really wants to go to Bear Hill. They never just leave patients laying in the bed, everyone is up and dressed in the morning and ready for the day which often includes fun activities (i.e Elvis Impersonator) along with wonderful care…

To Bear Hill Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center

Thank you very much to all the high caliber Bear Hill employees who have taken extraordinary care of my Mother, Norma Rogers, with their healing hands and tender hearts.’

Throughout the facility there is an aura of “dedication to superiority” executed in all departments. I, without any reservation, will enthusiastically and personally recommend Bear Hill Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center to all who ask.

I wish to extend my deepest appreciation for your warm empathy and kindness.

Most Sincerely,