Where Better Care is a Family Matter

8 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Long Term Care Facility

Before choosing a long term care facility for you or your loved one, make sure you ask these eight questions.

When it comes to choosing a long term care facility, whether for yourself or a loved one, the decision can be difficult. It’s often challenging to know what to ask and where to pick, and the decision shouldn’t be made lightly.

We’ve compiled a list of eight questions to ask before choosing a long term care facility to make the struggle of choosing a skilled nursing facility easier to bear.

1. What are the staffing ratios?

Staffing ratios are a serious matter when it comes to choosing any skilled nursing facility. You need confidence in knowing that the staff isn’t stretched so thin that they won’t be able to attend to you or your loved one’s needs when they arise. Ensuring the extended care center you’re examining has more staff to handle the needs of the facility is key.

2. What are the inspection ratings?

This question is of utmost importance as it gives you an understanding of how the skilled nursing facility operates on a daily basis. Every year, nursing facilities are inspected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and put under rigorous examination to ensure they are properly rated according to the care they provide. Their rating reflects this exam, and it’s a number you don’t want to take lightly. Take a look at the top rated nursing homes from U.S. News & World Report.

3. What services are offered?

Not everyone needs a long term care facility. Some might simply need a short term care facility, others might be in search of Alzheimer’s care, and some might be looking for a rehabilitation center following a health event or procedure. Knowing the different services offered at a skilled nursing facility gives you a better idea should other needs present themselves down the road.

4. Are Medicare and/or Medicaid accepted?

Whether you’re in a position to need it or not, you should know the answer to this question. There may come a point in time that money runs out, and you’re unable to afford the long term care being received. Knowing beforehand if the option to utilize Medicare and/or Medicaid is or isn’t there could make a big difference for you down the road.

5. Are the care plans individualized?

Just like in everyday life, no two people are the same. Much in the same manner, no two people’s care plans will be the same either. Look for a long term care facility that focuses on providing individualized care plans so that you or your loved one can get the care you need and deserve.

6. Is there a RN available at all times?

What happens when you or your loved one needs attentive care in the middle of the night? Will a registered nurse be available? Or will they be forced to wait until the next shift arrives, or worse, be delivered care by someone unqualified? Make sure the skilled nursing facility has a RN on-site 24/7.

7. What kind of activities are available?

It’s important that you or your loved one stays active even when residing at a long term care facility. Find out what activities are scheduled, how often they occur, and if any are open to family members. Knowing that you can join in the fun with your loved one will be an extra plus for both you and them.

8. Are personal belongings allowed?

Making the transition from home to a skilled nursing facility can be a challenging one. Often times, the comfort of having something from home can make it easier. Find out if personal belongings are allowed in resident rooms of the extended care center you’re checking out.

For more info, take a look at this comprehensive checklist from Medicare of things to think about and look for when choosing a long term care facility.

If you’re looking for a place that fits all of the above and more, stop by Elmhurst Extended Care Center. We offer Alzheimer’s care, a rehabilitation center, long term care, and so much more!

Short Term Care Benefits at a Facility vs at Home

Elmhurst Extended Care Center offers short term rehabilitation services specialized to each individual.

You’re preparing to have a procedure done that will require short term rehabilitation, but how do you decide whether you should go to a skilled nursing facility with a rehabilitation center or head back to the comforts of your own home? While home is typically the “feel good” answer, it isn’t necessarily the best solution in the long run.

Specially Trained Therapists

As you well know, the therapy done following a procedure is crucial to your overall outcome and determining how well, or how poorly, your body heals. A rehabilitation center in a short term care facility provides you with specially trained therapists that have dedicated their professional lives to focused therapy that not only enriches a person’s life but also gives them the best chance at successful healing.

Constant, Professional Access

Short term rehabilitation in a skilled nursing facility allows you constant access to medical professionals, allowing your needs and concerns to be addressed when they occur instead of waiting for someone who can get back to you on the phone or stop by your home for a visit.

Accountability

More often than not, those who choose to tackle their own short term rehabilitation at home seldom do their follow up exercises and therapy as often as needed. Utilizing a rehabilitation center ensures your therapy is done correctly and as often as required so that you may achieve your therapy goals much quicker.

More Than Just a Rehabilitation Center

Choosing the benefits of a short term care facility for your rehabilitation needs offers so much more than just follow-up therapy after a procedure. The social aspect alone allows for an environment you might not otherwise get at home, and being around others has proven to provide a positive mindset, which in turn, helps the healing process. A skilled nursing facility also provides you with a setting where comfort is a priority. Enjoy amenities you won’t find at home while taking advantage of the ability to relax so that you can heal.

Elmhurst Extended Care Center offers a rehabilitation center in Elmhurst unlike any other. Our skilled therapists go above and beyond to make sure that your stay is one of great success, and we create individualized care plans for each of our patients so that you, your family, and EECC can ensure your goals are achieved.

If you invest time now in choosing a skilled nursing facility to manage your short term rehabilitation, you will prolong your quality of life down the road.

Interview with Administrator, Love Dave

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Elmhurst Extended Care Center takes great pride in our staff. Our skilled nursing facility is filled with a great group of caring people, making it a welcoming place for residents and their families. Our administrator, Love, is no exception. Having started as an intern in 2007 with EECC and then coming on full-time the following year, Love has helped in every department, and eventually accepted the position of Administrator as he truly valued the family-first mentality of our facility.

We sat down with Love to get an exclusive view of what brought him here and why he continues to be at the heart of Elmhurst Extended Care Center.

What brought you to choose to intern at EECC?

I wanted to intern at Elmhurst Extended Care Center because I was looking for a career path. I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do going into my last semester in college. I talked to family and friends and my mom was the one that suggested I go to EECC to see if it would be a good fit. She had been employed at EECC for long before that and thought it was a great place to work. I agreed once I started coming in.

What does your day-to-day look like as the Administrator?

My day-to-day changes everyday. That’s actually one of the reasons I like this position so much. It never gets dull or repetitive. My job is to oversee all of the operations, supplement the departments, and give them the tools that they need to succeed. That includes hiring new staff, creating and revising policies and procedures, negotiating contracts, resolving conflicts, handling investigations, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations, and whatever else comes to my attention.

What do you believe sets EECC apart from other skilled nursing facilities?

Elmhurst Extended Care Center is different than other skilled nursing facilities because we are a small family business. We are here everyday and care about the people that have trusted us to help them. We treat our staff, residents, and their families like we would our own. The staff are our own employees, they aren’t contracted from another corporation. Our residents are cared for by the same people everyday and are able to build relationships with us. For people that want a personal touch when they get care, come to us.

EECC’s family-owned skilled nursing facility offers many avenues of care including a rehabilitation center, a certified Alzheimer’s Care Center, and long term care. It really is a place where better care is a family matter.

EECC Makes U.S. News & World Report’s List of Best Nursing Homes AGAIN

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Elmhurst Extended Care Center is proud to announce that our skilled nursing facility has received another “5” rating – the highest rating able to achieve – and are considered one of the Best Nursing Homes by U.S. News & World Report. We work hard to make sure our facility is the best it can possibly be for our residents and their families, and we’re excited that we continue to make this distinguished list.

Who receives a Top Performing rating?

Every year, U.S. News & World Report evaluates over 15,000 skilled nursing facilities across the country. These nursing homes are rated from a 1 (poor grade) to a 5 (top performing), and any that receive a grade of 4.5 or higher qualify for the Top Performing rating.

How is a skilled nursing facility rated?

Data is pulled from Nursing Home Compare, a program run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS is a federal agency that sets and enforces standards for nursing homes. Each skilled nursing facility is looked at in the following three areas of performance to help determine their grade:

  1. State-conducted health inspections
  2. Nurse staffing
  3. Medical quality measures

When looking for a long term care or rehabilitation center, you can trust that Elmhurst Extended Care Center is providing you with the best.