Las Palomas Center

Las Palomas Center, also called Las Palomas Nursing & Rehab, sits at 8100 Palomas Ave NE in Albuquerque near several big hospitals like UNM Hospital, the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center, and Presbyterian Hospital, so people who need medical attention can get to it pretty easily, and the building itself is wheelchair accessible, has air conditioning throughout, and offers simple things like restrooms and parking for visitors, plus it accepts credit cards and a range of insurance plans like Medicare and Medicaid, which helps people pay for care. The center can care for up to 120 people and offers short-term, long-term, and respite care, with some folks coming in just for recovery or transitional care after a hospital stay, while others might live here longer and get help with everyday needs in a skilled nursing or assisted living setting, and the care ranges from physical, occupational, and speech therapy to wound and orthopedic care, memory support for dementia, as well as vision, podiatry, and psychiatric help, with a medical director and nurse practitioner on staff, and even things like pain management, heparin therapy, and case management, so a lot of needs get attention here. The facility's owned by Genesis Healthcare, which runs hundreds of other places like this across the country, and they also tie into groups like the National Alliance for Care at Home and the New Mexico Health Care Association, so there are a lot of connections and resources available, plus they offer educational materials, workshops, and tools to help families and residents make informed choices, and pets are even allowed, which some residents find comforting. Folks here can join cultural, religious, and social activities, and the dining program has won community awards for nutritious, quality meals, so residents generally don't lack for engagement or decent food, and there are activity rooms, gardens, a beauty salon and barber, an on-site theater, and cable television, plus internet access and private or semi-private rooms for residents to choose from, and staff are known for their kindness and friendliness, even getting community awards for their attitude and the activities they set up, with interpreter services and care plans set up to match each person's specific needs, and there is a 24-hour alert and response system for emergencies. Now, while they've got a lot going on, Las Palomas Center has had more than its share of problems, like a record of legal and regulatory issues, including a CMS rating of just 1 out of 5 stars overall, with low scores for health inspections, staffing, and quality, and the most recent inspection found 30 health citations-much higher than the national average-which includes infractions on infection control, resident dignity, discharge planning, safe environment, and proper medication management, plus there have been multiple citations for abuse, neglect, and failing to provide enough nursing hours, with the number of residents who lost too much weight and those with worsened mobility being higher than what you'd see nationally, and complaints have come up about hazardous areas and food safety. So, Las Palomas Center covers a wide range of services, offers a lot in the way of amenities, and has some good points with engaged staff and community programs, but the place has struggled with inspections, citations, and low staffing, so families should look closely at these factors and ask plenty of questions before deciding if it's the right fit.