5 Reasons Why Your Loved One Might Need Skilled Nursing Care
If you have a loved one who has experienced a health setback, you may be wondering what level of care would be most appropriate for their needs. If they need a helping hand with daily routines like dressing, assisted living is an ideal choice. Short-term rehabilitation is geared toward people who need short-term support so they can return home after an injury or illness. For those who need a high level of long-term care delivered round-the-clock by licensed nurses and therapists, skilled nursing provides the necessary services. Skilled nursing care can be found in numerous settings, including stand-alone facilities, hospitals or continuum-of-care retirement communities. The benefits of skilled nursing include:
#1: 24/7 Support
Your loved one’s physician will recommend skilled nursing services if illness, injury, or a chronic or complex medical condition requires the care of a licensed nurse and other professionals. Examples of therapies commonly offered in skilled nursing include wound care, intravenous (IV) therapies, lymphedema therapy and ostomy care. This 24/7 support means your loved one has immediate access to the high-level health services they need. Plus, ongoing medical monitoring helps ensure your loved one’s health is stable and they’re responding well to their physician-directed treatment plan. Nurses and staff help manage the care plan, coordinating the necessary therapies, and assessing their effectiveness to ensure your family member’s needs are being met.
#2: Specialized Therapy
Skilled nursing services typically include the support of rehabilitation therapists, such as a physical therapist, occupational therapist and speech therapist. These therapists work with residents to help them recover mobility, communication, the ability to swallow, and muscle strength, and to help them regain as much independence as possible. In a skilled nursing center, therapists can work together, coordinating their efforts, providing the best possible outcome for your family member.
#3: Help with Activities of Daily Living
It’s common for people who need skilled nursing to also need a helping hand with activities of daily living (ADLs). These activities include self-care tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, and going to the bathroom. One of the benefits of skilled nursing is that in addition to round-the-clock nursing care, there is also support staff who help residents take care of these basic needs. Staff members also help with medication management. Other routine chores, such as housekeeping and laundry, are taken care of, too, so your loved one can enjoy clean, comfortable surroundings and the feeling of well-being that comes from knowing their basic needs will be met.
#4: A Homelike Setting
While skilled nursing has a high level of care similar to that found in a hospital, the atmosphere of a skilled nursing neighborhood in a continuum-of-care senior living community is designed to be comfortable and homey. Private and semiprivate rooms ensure your loved one can relax in familiar, personalized surroundings. Inviting common areas encourage residents to gather with friends, family, and each other, so they can enjoy the heartwarming and health-promoting benefits of social connection.
Of course, the comforts of home typically include nourishing and delicious meals. In skilled nursing, daily meals and snacks are provided, ensuring that residents are getting the nourishment and comfort good food can provide.
#5: Engaging Activities
Coping with illness is stressful. While a high level of care is the first step in helping your loved one respond well to their medical condition, finding meaningful ways to refresh mind, body and spirit is also vital to their well-being. A skilled nursing neighborhood in a larger senior living community can provide an abundance of cultural, recreational, social and spiritual activities, designed to bring laughter, connection, and engaging purpose.
Exceptional Skilled Nursing Care at Sagewood
Acacia Health Center at Sagewood provides top-quality long-term skilled nursing care in a resort-like setting. Here your loved one will experience all the benefits of skilled nursing while enjoying chef-prepared meals, comfortable private or semiprivate suites, and beautiful natural surroundings. Attentive and highly trained staff will help manage your loved one’s individualized care plan. Raised garden beds and other recreational and social opportunities encourage joyful participation in community life. And our 5-Star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services offers additional assurance that you’re choosing the best possible skilled nursing care for your loved one. Contact us to find out more about skilled nursing at Acacia Health Center or to schedule a visit.