Renaissance Health & Wellness

My first experience with Dr. Angela Barrow from Renaissance Health & Wellness started with a phone call to find out why they had not sent the paperwork for my mom’s med to the pharmacy.

She has Alzheimer’s as well as chronic pain from arthritis, not to mention a colostomy.

The person on the phone treated me like a stranger and was uncaring even when I said  I was her caregiver.

She acted like she was unaware of Alzheimer’s, and what that means with all of her healthcare.

‘She has to come and see a doctor to get new prescriptions’.

This is Friday before Christmas week and Dr. Angela Barrow (who we love and has been Mom’s PCP for many years) did not have an opening until the Monday after Christmas. ‘You can see another doctor.’ That doesn’t work with Alzheimer’s patients.

BTW: I did not receive an announcement of the take over of the clinic by RW&H nor the change in policies.

So we have to wait over a week to see Dr. Angela. When we get there, we see the clinic has been completely remodeled, walls taken down, new floors, big screen TV’s, the works.

Even a beverage station with coffee, tea, hot chocolate and water. Ok, so they spent lots of money on the space, but did they spend any money on service training.

I guess they forgot that part. We arrive early as we were told to do, to fill out new paperwork. I can understand that, when changeovers happen, computer programs don’t talk to each other.

As I am finishing the paperwork Mom’s name is called, and I don’t hear it the first time. Mom sure doesn’t hear that.

I barely hear it the second time, and we get up and slowly make it to the back.

The attendant says something to Mom neither of us hear, and I tell her Mom has Alzheimer’s and doesn’t hear well either.

No change in tone or volume. Uncaring. We get to the exam room and she starts asking her questions, she can’t hear or answer guickly.

I say again that she has Alzheimer’s and can hear, so I start answering the questions.

She asks ‘health issues?’ I say ‘Lots!’ She says, ‘well we have to put something down’. Uncaring.

Finally, Angela comes in.

Did we say we love her? Been her PCP for years? Quick as a whip she takes care of the new prescriptions and checks her health in a very caring and loving way.

That’s what you do for Alzheimer’s patients. We talk about me, too. That’s what you do for caregivers.

A few days later, we get a phone call from someone from the clinic about her allergies.

She insists on speaking with ‘Janie’, and even asks me if I’m Janie.

I say, again, she has Alzheimer’s, can’t hear, and won’t remember anything you tell her.

She says, ‘Oh, I don’t have her file in front of me.’ I tell her we did not come in for her allergies, and that there is not a lot that can be done for them.

Benadryl is not good for Alzheimer’s patients, and we use local honey in her tea every morning for the pollen allergies.

She is also allergic to latex.

She is not helpful and we agree to hang up. So today, I call the pharmacy to find out if they have the new paperwork, and guess what? They don’t!

Dr. Barrow gave me copies of the prescriptions ‘just in case the paperwork doesn’t get faxed from the clinic’.

We have waited another week, I should say wasted another week, and I have to fax the prescriptions to the pharmacy.

I guess they only treat healthy people. Good luck if you have chronic/terminal illnesses.

BTW: the only reason post this report is because of Dr. Angela Barrow. Did I say we love her?