California Rehabilitation Institute

W Tang

Do not go there to recover from a stroke, particularly if speech is impaired. The only thing I have good to say about this place is the food is better than Cedar Sinai. Oh and the location is nice. For my family member who had a stroke, this place is a disaster. First, they had to be threatened to try to find a therapist who spoke in her primary language. This was after our case mananger said that she would 'try her best but no promises'. Only after I started a 'paper trail' did we see a reasonable response. This only shows that the case manager just initially gave us the brush off, expecting the family members to 'forget' about it after a few days. What a horrible person! Second, they promised that they would have us set up with a speech therapist after leaving the facility. Not only did we ended up in a waiting list at Torrance Memorial, no one told us so that we lost 3 days. We only found out after driving to Torrance Memorial to find out what was going on, as Torrance Memorial's speech therapy group did not return calls or answer the phone. What made it even worse is that Torrance Memorial told us that California Rehab Institute was told of the situation. So the case manager probably was well aware of the situation (probably the one who called) but did not give a damn and just wanted to get us off her desk. As everyone has told us, the first month or two of recovery after a stroke is critical. It is difficult to believe that a top rate hospital like Cedar Sinai would be associated with this disaster. I guess at $4k/day, Cedar Sinai does not mind sending patients there, since this is supposedly a joint project between Cedar and UCLA. For anyone having issues with this place, do not trust what your case manager says. After any promise, email your case manager to create a paper trail so there is exposure if they dont do their job or simply blowing you off!

John Monsen

During hip replacement surgery at UCLA Orthopedics in Santa Monica, my surgeon broke my femur. I now face an additional month and a half of physical therapy to recover. At UCLA's recommendation I went to CRI where I spent five days. AFTER I was admitted CRI told me they only did physical therapy five days a week and that I mine would begin on the THIRD day I was there! I told them I would leave immediately if they did not provide therapy every day I was there, which they did. The physical therapists are generally quite good as is most of the nursing staff. Many doctors come and go and sometimes they do not coordinate. Focus your attention on the doctor in charge of your case. The food is not very good so suggest having dinner delivered from nearby restaurants.

NMB Traveler

The case manager and doctor walked in and said things to my dad in direct contradiction to what his long term doctors have repeatedly said (ie, he can't live alone again after his recent falls and multiple hospitalizations). It seemed as though they riffed without actually consulting his case notes or chart - or any messages I'd left. And upset a frail old man in recovery, needlessly. It was extremely upsetting to learn of this, as I'd left multiple messages asking I be consulted first as his only next of kin/daughter and power of attorney. Otherwise this place is clean and has good specialists.

Email Account

During Covid this can be very isolating for recovering patients who are given limited interaction during the day and none on weekends. Recovering brain injury patients will decline during this time of forced bed restriction for hours at a time when their brains are craving and ready for therapy in the form of interaction of any kind. The reality is that nursing staff see many patients and are following charts and schedules and see very little of the patient as they rush from room to admin. They rely on charts and don’t have context to interpret medicines so can inadvertently mis advise patients and family, but access to those giving prescriptions/schedules is limited. Unless you cannot care for your loved one at home I would strongly advise against putting your loved one here if they are vulnerable to isolation issues and instead use outpatient options.