By Peg Cochran, Holland Home
When we think of skilled nursing facilities, we tend to think of the nursing home where grandma went to live when she could no longer care for herself. Skilled nursing facilities are actually rehabilitation centers that cater to short-term stays, and function as a bridge between acute care or care in the hospital and a patient’s home.
What Skilled Nursing Facilities Provide
Many patients in skilled nursing facilities are recovering from an illness or injury or have had surgery such as a joint replacement.
“Hospitals are discharging patients earlier than ever, and some of those patients might need a few more weeks of skilled nursing or rehabilitation therapy,” said Sara Heethuis, Executive Director of Holland Home’s Breton Rehabilitation & Living Centre.
A skilled nursing facility can provide around-the-clock nursing care, as well as appropriate therapies —physical, occupational and speech. A skilled nursing facility can also provide specialized medical services such as wound care.
“Our main goal is to get the patient functioning well enough so that they can go back home. As a matter of fact, we begin planning for their discharge the minute they arrive,” said Heethuis. “We do have some long-term care patients, but most of our patients are only here until they are well enough to go home,”
Choosing a Skilled Nursing Facility
Family members are often faced with making the decision about a skilled nursing facility within days or hours of their loved one’s discharge from the hospital. It can be a confusing and frightening time.
One of the best places to start is at medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare. By plugging in your zip code or city, you can access information on all facilities in your area. All skilled nursing facilities are inspected and regulated by its state’s Department of Health Services and are given an overall rating, as well as ratings on health inspections, staffing and quality measures. The site also allows you to choose three facilities and compare them side-by-side.
“Breton Rehabilitation & Living Centre consistently receives four and five stars in all the areas measured. All of Holland Home’s skilled nursing facilities, including Raybrook Manor and Fulton Manor, receive four and five stars overall,” said Heethuis.
Another measure of the facility’s quality is their outcomes. Ask about the facilities’ discharge and re-hospitalization rates.
“Holland Homes’ outcomes are higher than the national average,” said Heethuis. “More of our patients are discharged to their homes, as opposed to needing re-hospitalization, than most other facilities.”
Amenities
Many facilities provide a wide range of amenities that may include catering to specific diet preferences, cable television, telephone, Wi-Fi throughout the facility, tastefully decorated private rooms, life enrichment activities and assisted excursions.
A stay in a skilled nursing facility can be a beneficial experience allowing you to return home with improved function and on the path to wellness.
