Top 10 Signs of A Quality Skilled Nursing Community

Skilled nursing. Quality health care. 24/7 monitoring.

These are important signs of a quality skilled nursing care facility, but they only scratch the surface.

While they are vital, they don’t paint the entire picture. They don’t recognize the other indicators— the ones that are the more subtle but in many ways are the most important:

Compassion. A friendly staff. A peaceful environment.

Finding the Best Skilled Nursing Care for Those You Love

Your parents were the ones who saw you take your first steps and witnessed major milestones in your life. When they have to move to a long-term skilled nursing community, you want only the best for them.

Or perhaps your spouse, who has seen you through so many wonderful and challenging times, is at a point where you can no longer care for him or her. You want to continue to honor your commitment by providing quality care.

We understand.

When evaluating skilled nursing care, use the following criteria:

1. The ratio of staff to patients

It’s important to know how many CNAs and nurses are working on each shift. Remember that this can have a direct impact on how much individual attention is given to your family member.

2. Availability of medical professionals

Be sure that, when necessary, staff members will call upon a team of experts to help and even send residents to the hospital if warranted.

3. A positive relationship between staff and patients

The word “community” takes on a deeper meaning when your loved one needs skilled nursing care. In addition to physical care, you want to be sure that their needs are met through a staff that is friendly and compassionate. As a result, this relationship contributes to the sense of community. It’s a vital factor in deciding upon a new home.

At Brook Stone, we take pride in our friendly, well-qualified staff. We treat your grandparent or loved one as if they were members of our own family. We believe in the dignity and well-being of every resident, and you’ll soon see how we’ve developed a peaceful, restful community.

4. Residents are allowed to bring personal items with them

Adding a few personal touches can go a long way toward making new surroundings feel like home. Surrounding themselves with photographs and special items can help ease the transition for your parent, grandparent or spouse.

You should speak with the staff about what items are most appropriate to use; in most cases, all items are welcome as long as they don’t interfere with health care or create a fire or tripping hazard.

5. Preventative health care is available

We realize that there’s much more to quality care than treating symptoms. It’s important to treat the whole resident, and that’s why preventative health care is so important.

For example, we offer flu shots because these vaccinations are incredibly important. In the elderly population, influenza can be life-threatening. This is one reason why it’s In addition to regular health monitoring, flu shots and other preventative measures are easily available.

6. A friendly staff

Sure, anyone can say they have a friendly staff, but how do they show it? Do they treat your loved one with dignity? Are they readily available? Do they fulfill requests in a timely manner? The most important aspect is do they treat your loved one the way they would want to be treated?

At Brook Stone, we believe there is simply no substitute for this Golden Rule. Call us old-fashioned, but we still believe in the values of kindness, compassion and empathy.

7. The skilled nursing facility does background checks on its staff

We realize that our staff is entrusted to the care of your loved one. That’s a responsibility we take very seriously. It’s a sacred trust.

That’s why you should always check to be sure that background checks are performed on those who will be caring for your parent, spouse, or grandparent.

8. It also offers assisted living care

Assisted living is for those who don’t need skilled nursing care, but who need assistance with activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing.

In many cases, those in assisted living care will eventually need skilled nursing care. If a community offers these two services, moving from one to another is a seamless transition.

At Brook Stone, we’re pleased to offer 20 assisted living care beds in addition to our 80 skilled nursing ones.

9. There are regular meetings of the entire health care team

Are the members of your health care team talking to each other? By meeting regularly and discussing plans, they can make sure that the best course of care is followed.

This is vital to ensure that the care plans are tailored to meet your loved one’s needs.

10. Staff is certified

All staff should meet state licensing criteria. Ask if the skilled nursing facility has any other type of accreditations or recognitions.

Why Brook Stone? Because We Provide a Peaceful, Nurturing Environment

We have the perfect balance of stimulating activities and relaxing culture. Our staff is attentive to our residents’ needs, whether they are here for rehabilitation or extensive skilled nursing care.

We invite you to contact us for more information on how Brook Stone can help you return to your role as son, daughter or spouse. We consider it a privilege to take care of those who cared for you.