Every nursing home has a different atmosphere. With a nurse’s station on each floor, some nursing homes resemble hospitals more than others. Others have more distinctive features that give them a homey or small-town vibe.
Whatever the look and feel, a nursing home provides for all of a senior’s requirements, including social, physical, nutritional, and medical care. Although specific services offered may differ, we will outline common ones you may anticipate from any nursing facility in this post.
Activities of Daily Living
Activities of daily living, or ADLs, are those routine tasks we frequently take for granted. This could involve eating, dressing, strolling, and taking a bath. Even the simplest task can be a difficult struggle for older adults.
The skilled nursing institution steps in to help with that. Qualified staff can assist residents with any or all of these ADLs in a nursing home setting to help them get through the day. Seniors can spend more time living their lives and less time watching from the sidelines with this help.
1. Monitoring of Medication
Medication administration is one of the most frequent nursing home services offered in nursing homes. Each resident has a special care plan that specifies the quantity and time of their medication administration because no two older adults have the same needs. The management of prescriptions ensures that patients always have necessary, timely drugs. Each resident’s medical history is documented, including all prescriptions they take, any possible drug interactions, and any allergies they may have.
To guarantee that every patient receives the highest level of care, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Registered Nurse (RN) will keep an eye on each resident’s incoming, old, and unnecessary drugs.
2. 24-Hour Emergency Care
No matter where you are, you would like to believe that emergency treatment is nearby, but that is only sometimes the case. Seniors who live alone or in distant areas may only sometimes have access to emergency treatment or the means to call for assistance.
Living in a skilled care facility has several benefits, one of which is convenient access to emergency assistance. Your loved one will have access to emergency care the next time they require it. Emergency treatment is immediately available to skilled nursing facilities around-the-clock, every day of the week.
3. Room and Board
Even while a skilled nursing home isn’t a hotel, the monthly cost does cover meal preparation and room maintenance. Most facilities serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner as part of their routine of high-quality care, and linens are always replaced as needed. Our restaurant-style dining room at Knollwood Nursing Center offers residents wholesome, delectable meals in a welcoming setting.
4. Social and Recreational Activities
Nursing homes frequently host events and opportunities to foster social interaction for individuals who can participate. This could apply to routine tasks, competitions, or even particular holiday events.
Daily interaction outside of sporadic family visits is made possible, which is crucial. The level of care provided to residents depends on their ability to interact and relate to their peers.
5. Specialized Therapy
Residents may need a range of therapies to maintain a high level of functioning, depending on their level of activity and physical condition. Occupational therapy, speech therapy, wound care, and pain management are some rehabilitative nursing home services offered by skilled nursing facilities. This varies depending on the resident.
Other special services that may be offered include:
- Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) – a group of people who are functionally impaired but not homebound and are not residents of a residential health care institution is served by the program’s health care services and activities.
- Adult Day Health Care – AIDS – for patients with AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) and other HIV-related illnesses, an adult day health care program may be certified as a facilitator of specialized services.
- Behavioral Intervention Services – created to help those whose severe behavior cannot be controlled in a less restrictive environment.
- Clinical Laboratory Service – a place where materials obtained from the human body are examined to learn information for diagnosing, preventing, or treating disease, evaluating a health state, or identifying needs.
- Coma Services – for people who have had a catastrophic brain injury and are in a coma with structural non-degenerative brain impairment.
- Dementia Programs – provide residents with unique activities to protect and encourage resident autonomy and decision-making in people with dementia.
- Diagnostic Radiology – any radiographic procedures involving contrast material or fluoroscopic interpretation and control must be actively carried out by a qualified diagnostic radiology specialist or a doctor.
- Hospice – a program that offers palliative and supportive care to address the unique demands caused by the emotional, spiritual, social, and financial strains experienced during the terminal stages of illness and death, as well as during grief.
- Limited Transfusion Services – A facility providing limited transfusion services performs blood transfusions and has the option of temporarily storing blood and distributing it inside its organization, but that depends on a blood bank with a permit for blood services-transfusion to conduct laboratory tests.
Bottomline
The staff of a top-notch nursing home puts in a lot of effort to suit the demands of the patients. Choosing a nursing home that offers the correct services is crucial when looking for one for yourself or a loved one.
To do that, knowing what you can expect from every nursing home is crucial. Do your research and equip yourself with as much knowledge as possible to ensure that you or your loved one will receive the best care they can have.
Sources:
https://www.health.ny.gov/facilities/nursing/all_services.htm