Frequent Questions About Care

Choosing a healthcare community for yourself or a loved one is a deeply personal and difficult decision. There are many factors to consider, and as every family has certain preferences and values, there is not one simple approach. Having said that, we believe there are certain considerations families should make prior to selecting a healthcare community.

First and foremost, know that this is your decision to make. A surgeon, attending physician, primary care doctor, hospital discharge planner or social worker may have an opinion, and their advice should certainly not be discounted. However, this decision should ultimately be made by the patient and their family.

You should consider the quality of care and a facility’s clinical outcomes. Do residents recover and return home quickly? Do they have good functional outcomes with documentation of improvement? Do they avoid re-hospitalizations?

You should consider the quality of the facility. For example — what are the resident rooms like? Is it a comfortable environment for rehabilitation? Does the therapy equipment lead to an effective and timely recovery? Will you or your loved one enjoy the facility’s key amenities such as the dining program, television services, wellness and social activities, and the overall atmosphere?

You also should consider the convenience of the location to you, your family and your friends. We believe it is important for a community to be in a desirable location, close to home, and close to places where families prefer to live, shop, worship, and play. Being near a hospital is not necessarily a positive attribute.

Finally — and the factor we consider most important — go tour the facility in person. Visit with the administrator, therapy director, and/or the director of nursing. Does the leadership team seem engaged, detail-oriented, and passionate about senior healthcare? Is the facility clean? Are there any unusual odors? Does the staff appear engaged and do they greet you with a smile as you pass in the hallways?

We believe if you take the actions above, you will find a healthcare community that will meet your needs and that you will be happy with, whether you are looking for short-term rehabilitation therapy or long-term skilled nursing or memory care services.

Therapy programs are clinically individualized and person-centered. Your plan will be developed through the collaboration of your surgeon, your attending physician and the nursing and therapy team. The frequency and duration of therapy sessions are fluid and unique to YOU. Each resident has an individualized plan of care, and the therapy team will involve you in your scheduled therapy sessions. Our goal is to provide you with a safe course to recovery while reducing the risk of returning to an emergency department or re-hospitalization. Our rehabilitation department offers therapy services (physical, occupational and speech) seven days a week and supports each new resident in developing their schedule in accordance with their personal preference

Many of our guests have pre-planned, elective procedures to enhance their quality of life. Examples include lower joint replacement, revisions of previous lower joint procedures, spinal surgeries and certain cardiac procedures. If you are considering this and have discussed a plan with your surgeon, we encourage you to visit us to plan your recovery, take a tour, see our state-of-the-art therapy gym, and meet our clinical and short-term rehab team; you can even pick out your room.

Some future guests receive “Pre-Hab” (strengthening and conditioning prior to a surgical procedure) at our community which can potentially reduce your length of stay after surgery. You may choose to discuss this with your surgeon to see if Pre-Hab is appropriate for you.

Your discharge plan actually begins as we evaluate you upon admission. YOU are the center of the plan; your diagnosis, clinical history and social situation will take precedence in developing the plan to transition you safely back home. If you are not able to transition home, we will carefully assist you or your resident representative with referrals to the most appropriate level of care that meets your clinical and financial needs. Prior to discharge we will arrange for medications, any necessary medical equipment, and other care-oriented services as appropriate.

Your attending physician who sees you in our facility will create a discharge summary that will be sent to your primary care physician.

Nursing home ratings are determined by health inspections, quality measures, and staffing. Each of these 3 sources generates a star rating. Then, the ratings are combined to calculate one overall rating. Learn more on medicare.gov

Please bring comfortable clothing and footwear for your stay. Individuality and personal preference is an integral part of the healing process. We encourage you to wear what makes you feel comfortable and motivated to expedite your recovery. Please bring any basic toiletries or personal care items you may need. Additionally, please bring any medical directives, power of attorney and your Medicare and/or Insurance cards to verify benefits. We are happy to verify these items prior to your admission through our admissions and business office departments. Please do not bring any prescription or over-the-counter medications or tobacco products. If you have valuables or cash, we have personal safes for your convenience, privacy and ease of access. Please ask our admission representative to access this amenity.

Once you select our facility as your choice for post-acute care, our admissions team and the discharging team at the hospital will coordinate your transfer. Either our private van or a contracted service will drive you to our facility. If you require an ambulance stretcher, we will arrange for that per medical necessity.

Many of our short-term guests reside in local assisted living, memory care, group home or independent living settings in other unaffiliated facilities. If you have experienced a hospitalization and need skilled nursing or short-term rehabilitation we are able to facilitate a smooth transition back to your community. With your permission, we can engage representatives from your existing residential community to participate in your discharge plan and return you to your home as quickly and safely as possible.

Prescriptions will be written by your attending physician around your discharge date. Upon discharge you will take that prescription to your local pharmacy.

We understand that family plays a crucial role in the recovery process. For those staying in a private room for short-term rehabilitation services we welcome a family member to stay overnight on a short-term basis. Many of our private rooms feature a pull-out sofa chair or a cot can be brought into the room. Please speak with your case manager in advance regarding overnight guests. For privacy reasons, we do not allow an overnight guest in any shared resident rooms.