Where Better Care is a Family Matter

Individualized Care Plans Set Elmhurst Extended Care Center Apart from Other Skilled Nursing Facilities

When considering where to complete your short-term rehabilitation following a surgery or the best place to call home for your loved one in need of long-term care, it’s important to know that priority is placed on individual needs, not a regimented ‘one size fits all’ checklist for each person that walks through the door.

We sat down and talked with Noel Tapia, Assistant Director of Nursing and Care Plan Coordinator at EECC, to find out how Elmhurst Extended Care Center handles the individual needs of each resident. Here’s what he had to say:

What do you enjoy most about developing care plans for each individual that comes to Elmhurst Extended Care Center?

I like developing individualized care plans because it lets me get to know my patients and their history. With the diverse population we serve, it’s important to create a care plan specific to the patients wants and needs. I also enjoy creating care plans with the Interdisciplinary team.

How does the process work for putting together a care plan for a new patient or resident?

It starts with the patient’s hospital diagnosis and their current medication list. Each diagnosis and medication have its own plan of care. The patient is also assessed and interviewed for their preference with care and health needs. Each member of the Interdisciplinary team also creates a care plan for their respective department (Social Worker, Dietician, Activities, and Restorative Nursing).

How do you deal with conflicting demands from a patient, their family, and other health care providers?

We do what is best for the patient. We try to accommodate the family’s demands, but if it’s conflicting with the care then we make sure we follow the facility’s policies and procedures. We seldom have issues with health care providers.

Have you ever come across a stumbling block while coordinating care for a patient? If so, how did you resolve it?

There is definitely a lot of stumbling blocks in nursing. As long as nursing staff continues to provide advocacy to the patient and follow the necessary policies and procedures, then the patients get the care they need. Also, talking about the issues with the Interdisciplinary team can help brainstorm solutions.

What do you think sets EECC apart from other skilled nursing facilities in regards to care plans developed for residents?

Our care plan is individualized. It’s not just the care plan coordinator that creates it, but the entire Interdisciplinary team. The care plans are also revised as patient health care needs change.

If you’re looking for personalized care for you or a family member, give Elmhurst Extended Care Center a call today. We’ll discuss how we can provide what you’re looking for in a way that is advantageous for your health, happiness, and comfort.

December 2018 Newsletter

Don’t miss all the holiday fun this month at Elmhurst Extended Care Center! We have an ugly sweater contest happening on the 19th, a Christmas party on the 21st, and a New Year’s Party on the 31st. Check out our latest newsletter for all the wonderful activities happening throughout the month, and help us welcome Christine F., RD to our team!

december 2018 newsletter

Celebrating the Holidays with Loved Ones in Nursing Homes

holidays nursing homes

The holidays are a wonderful time of year for so many, but for others, it can be an uncomfortable reminder that they aren’t able to enjoy them like they used to. If your loved one has transitioned from independent or assisted living into full-time care at a nursing home, the holidays can be an extra sensitive time where worry of how they will celebrate or wondering if their loved ones will even include them in their celebrations is often the focal point of their thoughts.

It’s important that our loved ones know and feel that they are still a crucial part of our lives, no matter where they reside. From personal experience in watching our residents and their families over the last several decades enjoying the holidays together, Elmhurst Extended Care Center has come up with three very important ways you can celebrate the holidays with your loved ones in nursing homes this season.

Collect Holiday Cards

While your loved one might not have an entire house to decorate for the holidays now that they’re in a nursing home, getting them into the holiday spirit is easy to do by bringing in holiday cards.

Collect holiday cards from their friends and family and find a special place for them in their room at the nursing home facility. Hang them up on the wall or display them on a nightstand or dresser. Whatever you do, make sure your loved one will be able to easily see and enjoy them on a daily basis.

Thinking of putting together a holiday card yourself? Try adding a family photo to yours this year! Having photos of loved ones on display is always a bright spot that makes residents feel that much more at home when they’re residing at a long-term care facility.

Cook Their Favorite Dishes

Is there a specific meal your loved one always looked forward to each holiday season? What about special desserts or homemade recipes passed down through the generations?

While nursing homes do provide excellent, balanced meals focused on your loved one’s dietary needs, the holidays are a time when family traditions and special meals come into focus. Nursing homes residents often feel they might not be able to partake in those traditions any longer, so bringing in their favorite dishes can really make a great impact.

If your loved one isn’t big on surprises, talk with them before you plan to get together and have them help make a menu for the celebration. That way, you’ll know the food items they’re really looking forward to and can ensure they’ll be included.

Make It a Family Affair

If your loved one was used to large family gatherings around the holidays before they moved to a nursing home, celebrating with just one or two people can leave them feeling sad and alone. Talk with the other members of your family and see if you can plan a time where you are all able to come together to celebrate and give your loved one a holiday season to remember.

Check with your nursing home facility ahead of time to see if you can reserve some extra space the day of your gathering where your loved one and guests can feel right at home in your private celebration.

Whatever you do, make sure to celebrate! Even if you’re unable to bring the normal large gathering together, get as many to join as you can, and make the holidays in a nursing home for your loved one extra special this year.

Are you wanting to plan a gathering for your loved one this holiday season and need to reserve space? Give Elmhurst Extended Care Center a call today!

November 2018 Newsletter

November at Elmhurst Extended Care Center offers plenty for you and your loved ones! Join us for our Veteran’s service on the 12th at 10:30am, and be sure to attend our Educational Family Council Event with guest speaker and pharmacy consultant, John Parise. He’ll be here at 2:15pm on the 29th to discuss Creating a Culture to Improve Antibiotic Use in a Nursing Home.

Take a look at this month’s newsletter for all the happenings!

Elmhurst Extended Care Center

Memory Care: 5 Superfoods to Improve Your Brain Health

memory care

As we age, it’s natural for our cognitive brain function to slow. However, we don’t want to lose pieces of it or its function entirely. Sufferers of Alzheimer’s and dementia are growing in numbers rapidly. That’s why we’ve created this comprehensive list of 5 superfoods to improve your brain health and ensure your memory care plan is working for you, not against you.

Add these five superfoods to your regular diet to improve memory care:

Fish Packed with Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids aren’t just good for your heart health, they’re beneficial to your memory care. One of those fatty acids is DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, and this acid helps keep the neurons in your brain running normally. DHA impacts the structure and signaling systems in your brain and allows your memory to function at optimum levels.

Keep your brain at its best by replacing some of the red meat in your diet with fish like tuna, mackerel, and salmon.

Dark Green, Leafy Vegetables

It’s always been said to ‘eat your greens’, but what you may not realize is that some of those greens are literally keeping parts of your brain alive. Dark green, leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, collard greens and broccoli are incredible sources of vitamin E and folate.

Folate assists in lowering the levels of certain amino acids such as homocysteine in your blood, and homocysteine itself is responsible for killing off nerve cells in your brain. By adding these leafy greens to your diet, you’re stepping up your memory care and keeping those cells alive.

Avocados

Like our dark green friends above, avocados are rich with folate as well as vitamins E & C. Avocados are monounsaturated fats which allow increased blood flow and lowers blood pressure – two factors that have been linked with the cognitive decline found in patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Want an even better reason to add this fruit to your diet? It’s also chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, just like our fish friends salmon, tuna and mackerel.

Peanuts, Almonds and Hazelnuts

Diets that are high in healthy fats have shown positive results in staving off the decline in cognitive brain function. Peanuts, almonds and hazelnuts are all great sources of omega-3s, omega-6s, vitamins E & B, folate and magnesium.

If these stats aren’t enough to convince you to add plenty of omega-3s to your diet, this just might: People who incorporate omega-3s in their daily intake decrease their chances of developing dementia by 26%.

Blueberries, Strawberries and Acai Berries

As we age, our memory tends to age with us. However, research has found that blueberries, strawberries and acai berries are powerful contributors to assisting the brain with removing the toxic proteins that are associated with memory loss.

It’s no wonder that these berries made the list as blueberries are also a great food for lowering high blood pressure and boosting your immune system. Whether you’re young, old, or somewhere in between, memory care is something no one should take lightly. Add these superfoods to your diet and improve your brain health.

Worried you or a loved one might be losing brain function? Read our post on the 7 signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s not to ignore.

Elmhurst Extended Care Center has a dedicated and certified Memory Care Unit for those with dementia or Alzheimer’s. For more information or to tour our facility, give us a call today.

October 2018 Newsletter

We have a lot of great things happening this month at Elmhurst Extended Care Center! Join us for an afternoon of music by Mike Basin on the 11th, and stop by for our Educational Family Council Event on the 24th featuring guest speaker and Pharmacy Consultant, John Parise. We’re also hosting our Family Group on the 30th as well as a Halloween Costume Contest for the residents on the 31st. Check out our latest newsletter for all the details as well as the additional happenings for October at EECC!

elmhurst extended care center october 2018 monthly newsletter

Why Caregivers Should Take Advantage of Respite Services

respite care

Being a caregiver to someone else can be very demanding and requires more effort, time, and energy than most people realize. When our loved ones are depending on us for assistance, meal preparation, housekeeping, transportation, and regular daily needs, it can become cumbersome as we try to juggle these duties with our own lives.

At some point, you may find yourself feeling burnt out, mentally, emotionally, and physically fatigued, and desperately seeking a much-needed break. That’s where respite care services from Elmhurst Extended Care Center come in.

Allow Yourself a Break While Your Loved One Gets the Care They Need

When we aren’t at our best, it’s not possible for us to give our best to our loved ones. That can have a large impact in situations where we’re providing regular care for another person. While it may seem worrisome to have someone else take over your duties for a few days or even weeks while you recoup your energy, respite care services offer the ultimate advantage in ensuring you’re coming back to caregiving refreshed and renewed.

At Elmhurst Extended Care Center, your loved one will receive the same services and care that are offered to our long-term residents. It’s our goal to make sure you and they are secure in knowing that the care our skilled nursing team provides is held at the same exceptionally high standards for everyone that enters our facility, no matter how long or short their stay.

What You Need in Order to Take Advantage of Respite Care Services at EECC

Our dedicated staff members at Elmhurst Extended Care Center want to provide the best possible care for your loved one during their time with us. In order to do so, there are a few things we need before the respite stay can begin.

  • A list of their current medications and dosages
  • A copy of their health history from their physician
  • A copy of their most recent physical from their physician

There is a 5 day minimum stay for respite care services at EECC in order to allow you adequate time for recuperation.

Respite Care – Not Just for When You’re Worn Out

While respite care is definitely favorable for those caregivers finding themselves in need of a break, it’s also a beneficial method for providing the skilled nursing care your loved one needs when other circumstances arise.

You may find yourself needing to go out of town for business or wanting to go on that family vacation you had planned before you became a caregiver. With respite care services from Elmhurst Extended Care Center, you’re able to take the time away you want and need while feeling secure in knowing your loved one is being well taken care of.

Have you thought about what happens if you get sick? Generally, individuals receiving regular care are at a higher risk for succumbing to illness. Respite care is a great way to allow them to receive the care they need while you get back to health.

If you’d like more information on how the respite care services at EECC can assist you in providing the care required while you’re away, give us a call today.

September 2018 Newsletter

Join us at Elmhurst Extended Care Center in our walk to end Alzheimer’s on Saturday, September 22nd! We’ll also be holding our Family Group on September 25th at 4pm. For all the latest events and happenings, check out our latest newsletter.

Post-Surgical/Orthopedic Rehabilitation at EECC

Orthopedic rehabilitation at Elmhurst Extended Care Center goes beyond your therapy at our facility. We’re there every step of the way to make sure your post-surgical experience sets you up for success upon returning home.

Following any surgery, it’s important to make sure that your musculoskeletal system is brought back to a proper functioning level. This includes your bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and joints. Orthopedic rehabilitation provides the necessary care and treatment through physical therapy that allows you to return to your level of functionality before surgery, and in some cases, puts you at a greater level of functionality than before.

Post-surgical, orthopedic rehabilitation through Elmhurst Extended Care Center offers many advantages including:

Individualized Care Plans

At Elmhurst Extended Care Center, we understand that each and every person’s needs are uniquely theirs. Likewise, each person’s care should be unique to their own needs and situation.

For any patient receiving physical therapy at our facility, we sit down with you and create an individualized care plan that encompasses your needs following surgery, your goals during your stay, and your vision for what it will be like when you return home.

Our dedicated and knowledgeable staff put together a plan with you that is centered around the care that you need, not anyone else. If you have family members joining you for this process, we also work closely with them to ensure that your needs are being met because at EECC, your family is our family.

Home-Like Environment During Your Stay

Staying somewhere other than your own home during rehabilitation can be a difficult transition for anyone. Our facility is designed to feel as much like home as possible. We offer many private rooms that include their own private restroom, bed, sitting area, and TV. Our courtyard is a wonderful gathering place that brings that feeling of the comforts of home outdoors, and our aviary is a unique touch that allows our facility to not feel like a facility at all, rather just an extension of your home.

We hear repeatedly from both long and short term residents and their family members how much Elmhurst Extended Care Center doesn’t have the sterile feel of most nursing care facilities. It’s our goal to make you as comfortable as possible, no matter how long or short your stay.

Assistance Upon Returning Home

Post-surgical, orthopedic rehabilitation through EECC doesn’t stop the moment you walk out the door. We know in order for you to be successful following therapy, you need to be able to return to functioning well in your own home environment.

Our staff works closely with you and your loved ones to ensure that your return home is an easy transition and that your needs are being met. We are always here to help if any needs arise after your return home.

If you or a loved one is preparing for a surgery, stop by Elmhurst Extended Care Center today to see how our dedicated team of rehabilitation therapists can assist you with your recovery.

August 2018 Newsletter

Join us for our 24th Annual EECC Olympics August 20th-29th where residents will be competing in Archery, Shot Put, Bowling, Ring Toss, and the 100-inch Dash! We have a lot of exciting things happening this month, so be sure to check out all the events below!

Elmhurst Extended Care Center