FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When both medical and personal care needs have become too great to handle at home or in another senior living facility it may be time to

It’s never a decision to take lightly, when a family member is no longer able to manage their medical and personal care needs in their home, it may be time to explore other options.

Regardless of whether your loved one is living on their own, with a family member, in another facility, or is in the hospital, the first step towards placement within our facility would be to review them medically.  This process may be done in conjunction with discharge planners, case managers, or their primary care doctor and involves requesting medical records that includes their diagnosis, current medications and treatments. After reviewing the medical needs of your loved one the facility reviews them to ensure they are able to meet those needs. If the facility feels they can medically accept the patient, the next step would be to meet with the business office to discuss payment arrangements and insurance verification. From there, the Admissions Director will coordinate any logistics for moving in.

Many of us don’t think about how to pay for long term care until the need arises. Nursing home care is typically paid for thru a combination of sources including: private funds, long term care insurance or Medicaid, which is an option for eligible low-income patients. For more information please ask to speak with the Business Office when visiting the facility.

Medicare covers post-hospital, short-term skilled care only and does not cover the cost of ongoing nursing home care.  Medicare Part A coverage will pay for a room, meals, nursing services, rehabilitation services, medications, supplies and durable medical equipment for up to 100 days. For the first 20 days in a skilled nursing facility, Medicare covers 100% of skilled care. From day 21-100 the resident must pay a daily co-insurance rate.

Activities of Daily Living (ADL) are routine activities that people tend to do every day. There are 6 basic ADL’s: eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring (walking) and continence.

Home Health:  Services are provided in the patient’s place of residence. Services may include assistance with all or some ADL’s.  Services may be long or short term. Services are on an intermittent basis, not 24 hours a day. Services may include nurse, home health aide and therapies (Occupational, Speech, and Physical Therapy).   These services are helpful for someone just returning home from a hospitalization or to provide extra care to

Skilled Nursing Care: Hospital patient is admitted to a licensed facility for a short termfor a condition that requires treatment. Patient receives 24 hour nursing care and therapy services 6 days a week with focus being on rehabilitation.  Patient may be dependent and require full assist with ADL’s. Patient receives treatments and medications by a nurse according to physician’s order.

Assisted Living:  Resident lives in a licensed facility that provides safe and clean living accommodations and three meals a day. Resident may be independent or semi-independent and may require the assistance of one person for transfers or to evacuate the facility. Resident may receive assistance with medication or have medications administered by a nurse. Resident receive general nursing care from facility staff. Resident receives 24 hour individualized personal and health-related services, 7 days a week.

Long Term Care:

Resident lives in a licensed facility that provides 24 hour inpatient care to residents who need licensed nursing supervision and supportive care, but do not require continuous nursing care. Resident may be semi-independent or dependent. Resident may receive full assist with ADL’s. Resident may receive full assist with transfers. Resident receives medications from a nurse following a physician’s order. Resident may receive outpatient rehab services. Resident receives periodic assessments by a licensed practitioner.

HospiceThe hospice program is a health care agency that offers palliative and supportive services providing physical, psychological, social and spiritual care for dying persons and their families. Patients may receive services in their place of residence or an inpatient setting. Services must be ordered by a physician. Services may include nurse, social worker, clergy, volunteer, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, nutritional therapy, and home health aides.

If coming for skilled care, the facility will provide all the furniture and medical equipment needed during their stay. Our private suites are equipped with cable television, Wi-Fi and land line phone service.  Residents should bring in their own clothing and any personal items to help them feel more at home.  Laundry services are included during their stay and we highly recommend any belongings brought into the facility be marked with your loved ones name.

If moving into long term care, the facility will provide a bed, closet or wardrobe, a nightstand and chair for the resident’s room. Residents should bring in their own clothing and personal items, as well as their own furniture, which can include a bureau, recliner, television.  Prior to moving in, we highly encourage a family member to tour the facility and see offered room and what the space will allow for.

Our home is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and you are always encouraged to visit.  It is important to consider your loved ones special needs for medications, rest, treatments, etc. when planning your visits. We do ask that if you are here in the evening hours to please be respectful of others here in the facility.

Although each day is unique, there is a general structure and routine to daily life within the facility. Nursing staff will awaken residents in the morning and assist with completing their morning routine. All meals are served in the dining room and are as follows:

Breakfast: begins serving at 7:30

Lunch: begins serving at 12:00

Dinner: begins serving at 5:00

In between meal times, we offer a wide range of activities to provide stimulation and companionship and anyone is welcome to participate. Otherwise residents are free to spend their time how they choose.

Each month we put out a new calendar of events, some of them are seasonal so they may change. Some favorite activities include bingo, board and card games, skee ball, resident council, monthly birthday parties, crafts, gardening, bible study, musical entertainment, children and school visits, and holiday festivities.  Our activity manager is always open for new ideas and suggestions if you have something you would like to see offered.

Yes, residents may leave the facility accompanied with their family member for appointments or out on a day pass as long as they are able to safely provide supervision. The family member assumes all responsibility for the resident once they are out of the facility.

Laundry services are provided daily and the turnaround is usually pretty quick, within a few days you should expect items to be returned to the closet. Please ensure that all of your family member’s items are marked with their name or initials to prevent any delays in service. If you believe you are missing any items please see someone in the laundry room and they would be happy to go thru the lost and found.

Yes, once admitting to the facility our medical director will oversee their care. Our medical director will see residents upon admission, before discharge, and when having acute symptoms. Otherwise, residents are seen routinely every 3 months. If your loved one sees any specialists out in the community they may continue to see them, if family is unable to provide transportation, the facility can schedule a transportation service such as Joyride.

What is the difference between SNF level of care and ICF level of care?

How are rooms determined?

We recommend at least seven complete outfits. Appropriate clothing is usually considered to be slacks, shirts or tops, dresses, sweat suits, sweater, nightgown/sleepwear, and underwear. Shoes or slippers should have nonslip soles. As a general rule, clothing should be roomy and have large enough openings that they can be put on and removed with a minimum of stress to both the resident and the clothing.

1. Personal laundry service is provided by the facility.
2. Clothing should be machine washable and dryable.
3. Each item of clothing should be indelibly marked with the resident’s name (first initial and last name).
4. Families should expect to assist in maintaining the resident’s wardrobe.

Residents and families are encouraged to personalize their room with pictures, plants, mementos, and other items to make for a homey atmosphere. A favorite chair should be of a vinyl or leather type material. We discourage residents from keeping valuable items, such as expensive jewelry and large sums of money, in their rooms. The facility cannot take responsibility for such items. Some residents with varying degrees of dementia may not recognize the value of an item and may unintentionally discard or misplace it.

Please be sure to include the resident’s first and last name when sending mail to our facility. All personal mail is delivered unopened to each resident. Upon resident or family request, helpful staff or volunteers can assist with opening and reading mail.

Medicare is federal health insurance for every American 65 years of age or older. It covers acute episodes, such as hospitalization and rehabilitation after leaving a hospital. Like all insurance policies, it does not cover all the expenditures. That’s why many will purchase supplemental or “Medigap” insurance to cover copayments and deductibles. In addition, this supplemental insurance can be used to pay for non-covered expenditures such as prescriptions. In general, Medicare does NOT pay for long-term care – either in nursing homes or in an assisted living community. For more information on Medicare, please visit the Medicare website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicare.

Additional information on Medicare and Medigap is also available from SHIIP. Medicaid is a state-managed healthcare and long-term care program for the financially needy. Typically, those with low income and very few assets are eligible for Medicaid. In most states, Medicaid will pay for nursing home care and some have the option of remaining in their homes and receiving in-home services. For more information, please visit the Medicaid website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicaid

Making the decision as to how much care is needed can be difficult. That’s why seeking a physician’s assistance, along with counseling by qualified professionals, is appropriate. At Petersen Health Care, we have experienced staff available to help make an assessment and discuss your options with you and your family. By doing so, we can help you determine the best facility for your situation and care level. In addition, our staff is able to help you with any necessary paperwork and financial information.

Skilled Nursing Care is appropriate when the patient needs ongoing nursing intervention and supervision following an illness or a chronic condition. It is also appropriate for short-term intensive physical, occupational or speech rehabilitation therapy. The patient’s care is under the direction of a physician.

Nursing homes are designed to care for individuals who are unable to care for themselves and have numerous healthcare requirements. Assisted living facilities are designed to help persons who are able to care for themselves except for a few everyday activities. Their goal is to create an environment for each resident to maintain his or her independence for as long as possible. They offer help with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as: preparing meals, bathing, taking medications, dressing and performing household chores. In addition, our assisted living facilities may also be appropriate for those who may be experiencing some memory problems which interfere with their ability to manage ADLs on a regular basis. Some facilities are even licensed to offer multiple levels of care, while others may only offer one level.

Fountain West Health Center was founded in 1975 with a commitment to caring and personal service. Fountain West is rich in experience helping with the transition into a new home. That knowledge has allowed us to work with a variety of insurance providers. Some of the providers we are currently working with are: Coventry, Wellmark, & United Health Care.