Pleasant Dale Place - Small Community Assisted Living
1. How does small-community assisted living meet the medical needs of residents?
Assisted living is not for those that need the care of a nurse 24 hours a day. Evaluate the needs of your loved one. Assisted living provides support to people who need help with daily living activities such as taking medicines, bathing, dressing, grooming, preparing food, walking without falling, maintaining a regular schedule, cleaning, laundry, shopping, visiting and taking part in meaningful recreational activities.
2. How are medications given?
Residents are prompted to take their medications at the times prescribed by their doctors. A resident’s medications are set up by their family in a daily medication box with each compartment designating the time and day the medication is to be taken. The medication boxes contain medications for one or two weeks at a time. Family members refill the box when needed. The box is kept in a locked cabinet when not in use. Family members are responsible for assisting their loved one in getting prescriptions filled. Residents may take over the counter medications in the amount prescribed on the bottle with family permission. All medications are kept in a locked cabinet. Family is consulted if a resident requests or requires any over the counter medication before it is taken. Medications are recorded on the daily log sheet for each person with mood, affect, symptoms, blood pressure and temperature. Charting is maintained in the resident’s personal log and may be referred to by the patient, their family and the home health services.
3. How are other medical needs met?
Home health services are available to residents on an individual basis. The resident’s doctor orders the home health services. Home Health services from Memorial (788-4663), St Johns (525-5641) and Alterna Care (525-3739) have been used at our facility and found to be excellent. Home health can provide nursing (RN or LPN as required, or both), Physical Therapy, Occupational therapy, Speech Therapy, Social Services and a wide array of other medical services. If health issues arise the home health nurse can be called upon and will come immediately to evaluate and meet the needs of the patient. The home health nurse works closely with the patient’s doctor monitoring and communicating health care needs.
4.What are the medical benefits of small community assisted living?
- Residents are able to keep their own primary doctors. Families and residents are aware of any and all medications prescribed and taken. This lessens the opportunity for over medication, medication mistakes or indiscriminate use of medications.
- Health is the focus of this facility and promoted in everything we do throughout the day. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a delicious meal components and not an after thought. This has lessened the dependence on stool softeners. Sugar, salt and caffeine in the diet are ardently kept to a minimum. Weight and blood pressure improve. Daily activities are increased. Resident’s are drawn into life in an intentional manner to restore individual feelings of interest, independence and self worth.
- Resident’s are reminded, encouraged and assisted in doing exercises and range of motions activities suggested by their doctors and therapists. Range of motion activities are also built into the daily schedule in the form of meaningful activities relevant to the individual resident’s interests and life skills.
- Mood and affect are closely observed and recorded. With only four residents small changes in disposition can be noted and recorded. This close monitoring can be of assistance for family and doctors as they evaluate the effects of drugs, physical needs and changes of their patient and loved one.
- Tooth brushing is encouraged after every meal. Dental health is a focus of our home. Gum disease, tooth decay, poor diet and dental hygiene neglect can be devastating to the elderly.
- Small community living provides closer assistance and care for the individual. Assistance is always near by lessening opportunities for falling. Staff are not hurried caring for large numbers of residents. Each resident is able to receive the full attention of staff in a timely manner. Waiting for assistance is kept to a minimum or non existent.
- Residents are drawn into daily life in a pleasant atmosphere with encouraging and joyful staff. Residents begin to enjoy life in ways that encourage one on one communication and interaction. TV watching is not the only activity residents look forward to and engage in. A wide array of interesting activities are provided. Each resident provides an interest panel enabling the staff to plan activities that will engage and perk the interest of the individual resident. Much for sight and thought is given to past life experience and integrating these experiences into the present to validate and celebrate the individuals life accomplishments, skills and interests.
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Janice Cain at 217-627-3093.