St. Martin's In The Pines - A Diversicare Transitional Care Community - Birmingham, Alabama

Stuart Patterson

My dad was sent there for rehab and we checked him out of there in less than 24 hours. The facility could use an update and cleaning, but more importantly, the night shift was MIA most of the night. My dad was left on a deflated air mattress all night because when he called for help the aid (I assume) would not plug it in for him and refused to help him to the recliner so he would not have to sleep on a steel bed frame. She grumbled something at him and walked out and closed his door.
The staged photos on their Facebook page look amazing but in no way reflect our brief experience there. I would NEVER again jeopardize the well being of a family member by allowing them to be sent to that place.

I will note that the day shift seemed more helpful and the male aide on duty when dad arrived at 6pm was helpful and courteous.

Katie Lockhart

Sent my mom here for rehab, the day shift is good but night shift is a joke. My mom was found unresponsive only because I called the nurses station multiple times for someone to check on her. The nurse in charge that night had an attitude as I begged her to call an ambulance. No one on staff could tell me when they last saw my mom or gave her medicine. It’s a shame, wouldn’t send my dog here. I have called multiple times and left multiple voice mails with no return calls except the one morning after. My dad went in and got my mom’s stuff today and no one has noticed or called. No one has called to see how my mom’s doing or if she’s coming back. Just a mess of a place!

Shelley Haywood

If you have a loved one here, please please please check on them immediately. Do not tell anyone you're coming. Go at some random hour that they wouldn't expect you. And if you are thinking of putting your loved one here, I am begging you not to.
My mom had been in the hospital for several days, the last couple in ICU where she coded and ended up being put on a BIPAP machine. They discharged her to St. Martin's and my family was told they had the machines my mom needed to be able to breathe. #1- They do not have BIPAP nor CPAP equipment for residents and will not make arrangements for them even if they are required by prescription and Dr orders for that patient. So unknown to us, because my mom thought we knew, she was terrified to sleep because she thought she wouldn't wake up.
#2 First night there my mom had to go to the bathroom. She was hooked to a catheter bag, an IV pole and a heart monitor. She has very limited use of her arms due to both shoulders being broken. She was there because she can't get up alone and needed some supervision. She paged for a nurse. No one came. This lasted for more than two hours. She waited to use the bathroom. She is 78 years old. Someone finally came in and asked what she wanted. My mom asked for help to the bathroom. She was told she could use a bedpan. My mom told her she needed to sit up properly and said it had been several days since she had been able to have a bowel movement but she could handle everything except the getting out of bed and getting into the bathroom if the lady could just help her. This is what she was told. "Well since you are being confrontational and arguing with me, you can either sh#t in your bed or sh#t on the floor but we ain't cleaning it or you up so quit bothering us!" She turned around, turned off the light and shut the door. My mom must have some strong angels walking beside her y'all. Because she got herself off that bed and unplugged her own machines and made it as far as she could away from the bed trying to get there. I am not trying to be gross here but you need to understand. She didn't make it all the way. And she definitely couldn't clean the floor up. Few hours later the nurse returned and proceeded to cuss and scream at my mom for making a mess. My mother is a proper God fearing Christian woman who won't even say things like gosh or golly because she thinks that's wrong. But she finally told the woman "ma'am you told me to sh#t in my bed or in the floor and since I had to get back in the bed to sleep, I chose the floor". Nurse stormed off and at some point it was cleaned up.
#3 The following morning family was on the way to her and she started calling begging for help. She had not slept. She was freezing and could not get anyone to get her a blanket. My sister walked in her room and my mom was sitting in bed, holding a piece of cold breakfast sausage, a half frozen waffled laying on her table and fighting the roaches that were crawling on her bed. This is not an exaggeration or made up story. Breakfast server came in, tossed a waffle onto her tray table, no plate, no napkin, shoved a piece of sausage into her hand and walked out. Roaches crawling on her bed and on her arms. We immediately made arrangements to move her back to the hospital where she was re-admitted to ICU.
Thankfully she is home now and doing better. We have pictures of the breakfast as well as the roaches crawling on her. We will be making a decision about just what we will do next with those. I know there is a shortage of workers and nurses. I respect that and I know they have a lot of patients and my mom isn't due any special attention over anyone else. But this place also lacks a shortage of compassion, integrity and basic respect for human beings. The treatment she received here wasn't even as good as the treatment animals receive at the local shelter.

Ginny Maner

St Martin's has been an absolutely wonderful place for my sister's care. The administration and staff are excellent in their concern, oversight, and attentiveness. We are so grateful for their kindnesses and their professionalism. 10 Stars!

Caroline Reich

My mother has been a resident of St Martin's in the Pines for over 8 years. She spent 6 years in independent living in The Arbors and was able to move into The Cottages two years ago as her care needs increased. I am grateful that such a well-designed facility with caring and thoughtful staff is available in Birmingham.

Angela Patterson

A great place for rehab! The nurses, Ms. Charletta and MAC Brandi are just two of the exceptional people who make up SMIP?. Ms. Trina Vines communicates promptly and she is approachable.

Crissy Sharp

Edit* since its purchase it’s not what it used to be.
St. Martin's is a great place to live and work! I see some of these more recent reviews and am so confused by them. I have never seen a resident ignored or mistreated.

TanyaGann Bagwell

My Aunt was here for nursing rehabilitation. The experience she had was terrible. Every day she was left in her wheelchair for hours while sitting in her own urine and feces. She had a catheter and it became infected because it was never changed from the time entered their facility and she was there almost 4 months. She would often page them for help and they told her to stop pressing her alert button. Seldom she was even bathed. Weekly at best. They did change her clothes often either. When I visited with her the CNA’s sit in the lobby area playing on their phones. They never asked if she needed water. I had to get it for her. In the 4 hour period I was there she was checked on once. Other relatives brought in food for her because it’s just terrible. She was told by one CNA she could not have extra coffee because there were other patients there other than her. It’s a shame our elderly are being treated with such lack of care. The only plus was she was able to have her hair washed once a week but it is my understanding it is an outside person not employed by St. Martins. I would definitely not recommend this place for the care of your loved ones.