Moving Your Loved One Into Sandalwood Nursing, a Daytona Beach Rehabilitation Facility

After your senior loved one is discharged from the hospital, they may still need care from a short-term or long-term rehabilitation center but there may be complications during the admission process that cause them to be readmitted into the hospital. However, here are some steps to help identify high-risk admissions to rehab or home health services and tips to ensure that your loved ones have a safe transition. 

1. Identify Family Support 
   Seniors being admitted to rehabilitation often can’t understand all of their care instructions from the hospital. It’s important to identify someone - family member, friend, partner, etc. who can act as support and be able to help by providing emotional, physical, and potentially financial support during the transition.
2. Safe Living Environment
   When a senior is discharged from the hospital it's important to conduct a safety assessment to ensure that their home is safe. Seniors may participate in in-home rehabilitation or receive health services from their home, making it important for the home to be safe and secure. This step can be completed even before they leave the hospital. In fact, it's recommended to get this done early to prepare for their hospital discharge.
3. Consider a Psycho-Social Approach
   A psycho-social approach takes into consideration psychological factors like mental illness combined with the social aspects of a senior's life. Many seniors may feel anxiety and depression, especially if they suffer from chronic conditions that negatively impact the quality of their lives. To help, it's important to build a strong social network with other seniors in the same position or to identify hobbies and activities that help the senior feel engaged and positive.  This approach should also include connecting your loved one with social workers, behavioral health nurses, and other community services to create a support team.
4. Communication
   With an established community to support a senior, the final piece of a safe admission to rehabilitation is communication. Without it, the plan may fall through the cracks and fail. A senior may get discouraged and give up so it’s extremely important that all members of the family and support team stay are on the same page and communicating.
   Don't feel like you have to wait until they’re released from the hospital to get started. The process starts before your loved one is discharged. 

When you’ve handled these issues and are ready to consider a rehabilitation center, here are some questions to ask:

1. Does the facility offer programs specific to your loved one’s needs?
2. Is 24-hour care provided and is the staff qualified to provide this care?
3. How does the facility develop their treatment plans?
4. How often will therapy be provided?
5. What extra services are offered?
6. Do caregivers help with discharge and insurance questions?
7. Is the family encouraged to participate?
8. Are therapy and outpatient physician services offered?
9. Are patient electronic medical records accessible?
10. Do patients have access to other specialists onsite at the facility?

Talking To Your Elderly Parents About Moving Into A Nursing Home

While the majority of older Americans are attracted to the idea of aging at home, according to the Department of Health and Human Services 70% of adults aged 65 and over will need some form of long-term care. Additionally, with every year that passes, their chance of needing care increases.
When a parent is unable to care for themself and needs help with everyday tasks like bathing, getting around, dressing and making meals, it may be time to consider a nursing home or an assisted living facility.

For adult children, talking to their aging parents about such a move can be tough and cause a great deal of stress for the entire family, but there are times when it needs to happen.

But how do you even start? Your parents have spent their lives not only attending to their own daily needs, but also managing the daily needs of others. Giving up the ability to drive or cook for themselves isn’t just about not being able to do these things for themselves, but also about the larger and scary issue of losing independence.

 

So be as direct as possible. Some parents are also in denial about needing care and help, which can also make the conversation difficult.  You should provide evidence of why they need help: Point out aimless wandering, forgetting to turn off the stove, forgetting to take medication and the dangers that came with these actions.

If they say no at first, be patient but keep the dialogue going. After something dangerous or worrisome occurs, they will either be willing or be forced to address the situation. As much as you might want to resolve everything immediately, the reality is this will likely take some time and a number of conversations. Unless your parent is in immediate danger, that’s okay. It’s a process, not a once-and-done discussion.

It’s also important to make it clear to parents they're not a burden and you're not trying pass off their care and simply want them to have the best options and lifestyle.

If possible, ask what they want from a facility, including location and amenities, to get them involved in the decision.

The good news? Once you start the conversation it gets easier to keep it going. Not only that, your parents will enjoy the peace of mind of knowing they’re planning for their long-term care.

Provided by Sandalwood Nursing Center

Dealing With the Impact Of Aging: Daytona Beach Nursing Homes

With today's technology, we can dramatically slow down the effects that aging can take on our physical appearance. From collagen injections in our lips and buttocks to major re-constructive surgery, the possibilities are almost endless. This article will give you some tips for stopping the aging process seemingly in its tracks.

One of the best ways to look younger is to refrain from smoking. Another advantage of not smoking is that you will live longer than if you smoke. With that said, it is very important to avoid both primary and secondary smoking because it has very harsh effects to your body.

In order to look young and slow down the aging process, it is necessary that you eat good amounts of fruits, daily. Like vegetables, fruits contain antioxidants that help your body with hydration. Another thing that fruits have is vitamin C, which helps you to maintain very radiant looking skin.

To help your mindset while aging, toss out any numbers that aren't really important, specifically your weight, your height and most importantly your age. These numbers may be important for your doctor (and they should be), but for daily living they are just barriers to the many, many things that are possible for you to do.

Nursing Homes in Daytona Beach, FL

With age, a lot of people are simply not able to live on their own anymore. Caring for yourself might no longer be possible at some point in life. There may come a time when you will have to decide whether or not to move into a nursing home. While not the ideal situation for some, in actuality this might be the best available option. They each have licensed staff that provides a combination of the best health care with the best possible living environment.

Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas said a new experimental Alzheimer's disease vaccine showed promising results during recent testing in mice and are hopeful the vaccine will make it to human trials.

In the animal trials researchers said the experimental vaccine showed it could delay the effects of the degenerative brain disease.

The journey from animal tests to human use is long and arduous, and many promising cures do not withstand it. But a senior author of the research published this week in the journal Alzheimer's Research & Therapy told USA Today if the vaccine is proven safe and effective during human trials it could reduce the total number of dementia diagnoses in half.

An experimental Alzheimer's disease vaccine may soon be able to cut dementia cases in half and delay the degenerative brain disease's effects by five years.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, which is the broad term used to describe symptoms of cognitive decline that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior.
The experimental vaccine could be a monumental push forward in the fight against dementia, with previous Alzheimer's vaccines causing damaging side effects including brain inflammation. Recent tests on monkeys and rabbits found the vaccine works by prompting the body to produce antibodies that reduce the buildup of amyloid and tau. Both proteins are typically indicative of the degenerative brain disease's presence in the body.

Doris Lambracht-Washington, a professor of neurology and neurotherapeutics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, told USA Today she believes the vaccine may extend people's lives and stop the disease from spreading through the brain.

"If the onset of the disease could be delayed by even five years, that would be enormous for the patients and their families," Lambracht-Washington said. "The number of dementia cases could drop by half."

Two abnormal protein structures called plaques and tangles can build up in the brain and disrupt nerve cells. The new vaccine may be able to stop such a build-up of these proteins without causing autoimmune inflammation, the researchers wrote.

According to the Alzheimer's Assocation, the disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. About 5.7 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's and researchers predict that number will rise to 14 million by 2050. Between 2000 and 2015, deaths related to Alzheimer's disease increased by 123 percent.

Provided by Sandalwood Nursing Center, Daytona Beach, Florida

Daytona Beach Skilled Nursing Services

The skilled nursing services provided by Daytona Beach nursing home, Sandalwood Nursing, are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and are provided by registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified nursing aides.

Our nursing services include respiratory services, pain management, hospice and palliative care, wound care management, as well as IV medication administration.

• We accept patients with tracheotomies and acute respiratory needs.
• Respiratory services are provided by our contracted Respiratory therapists that are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week as needed.
• Our RN’s and LPN’s are trained in suctioning and trach management

Wound Care Management

• Our nurses are trained to care for new admissions that may arrive with wounds acquired at home or in other facility settings.
• Weekly on site visits from a specialized wound care physician.
• Dedicated wound care nurse to treat and monitor progress of wounds.
• Wound vacs as ordered by your physician are accepted.

 Restorative Nursing Program

• A person of any age who suffers serious illness or injury may require rehabilitation and/or restorative care. Rehabilitation services employ therapists to help people regain physical function. Restorative nursing care is ongoing and may be provided in long-term care or skilled nursing facilities (commonly known as nursing homes), often following rehabilitation.
• Long term residents are encouraged to participate in our daily restorative nursing program to enable them to maintain the highest possible level of function or to improve their ambulatory status as indicated. What is restorative nursing?

How To Choose A Nursing Home In Daytona Beach, Florida

Finding the right skilled nursing facility for yourself, a family member, or a friend can be a major task, but it’s not impossible. There are lots of factors that go into making a decision, and taking things one step at a time will make the process easier.

Traditional nursing homes are different from assisted living centers, which are for people who are more independent. Residents of nursing homes typically are recovering from illness or injury or need help for health issues like heart disease, diabetes or dementia. A nursing home is suitable for someone unable to be appropriately cared for at home but doesn't need to stay in a hospital.
Nursing homes provide their residents with daily living assistance and advanced on-site medical care. They also provide many activities like art and cooking classes, games, trips, birthday parties and movie nights. Up until recently, nursing homes had rules and a schedule for everything (waking, sleeping, eating, bathing, etc.). Now they're moving more towards an approach of resident-centered care where residents can feel like they're at home.

The following will help you start and focus your research:

• Ask your local hospital for recommendations
• Contact a social service agency and ask about nursing home choices
• Find out if there are facilities near you that might be suitable
• Depending on the patient’s condition, you may need to seek a specialized nursing home that deals specifically with dementia, rehabilitative physical therapy, pain management or hospice care
• Find out which nursing homes in your chosen area are Medicare or Medicaid certified.

After you've found some options, go for a visit and ask yourself these questions:

• Is the staff respectful and friendly?
• Is the facility clean?
• Do they offer interesting social, recreational, religious and cultural activities?
• Can the resident choose their waking, bed time, and bathing time?
• Is the food good? Ask to try it.
• What are visiting hours?
• Are pets allowed?
• Is transportation provided?
• Do residents have sufficient privacy?
• Can the resident decorate their room the way they want?
• Is the temperature comfortable?
• Do rooms have televisions and telephones?

After you’ve done your research and it’s time to make a decision be sure to get input from everyone - the patient, the patient’s doctor, family members, and use all the information you’ve gathered. With all this good information in hand you’ll be ready to make the right choice for you or your loved one.

Picking a Nursing Home For Your Loved One. What To Look For

Nursing homes can be broken down into intermediate care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and skilled nursing facilities for special disabilities.  An intermediate care facility (ICF) must provide at least eight hours of nursing supervision per day.  It generally caters to patients who are mobile and need less care.  At the least, an ICF provides medical, pharmacy, and dietary services.

The skilled nursing facility (SNF) must provide 24-hour nursing supervision.  This is most likely what people mean when they say “nursing home.”  Normally those who are incapacitated, and need long- or short-term care, stay in one of these facilities.  In addition to the services that would be provided by an ICF, the SNF will also assist in daily living activities such as eating, bathing, dressing, and walking.

All nursing home facilities are required to be licensed by their state.  If you come across one that isn’t, avoid it.  A state inspector visits each home at least once a year to make sure that it is complying with state standards for care and services.  This passing grade is a requirement in order for these places to be reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid.

Many nursing homes are run as businesses for a profit by individuals or corporations, and may even be a part of a chain of nursing homes.  Others are run as non-profit companies and are sponsored by religious or charitable groups or by government agencies.

One requirement for all patients in a nursing home is that they be under the care of a physician.  The reason is that only a doctor can evaluate and prescribe a program of medical care for a patient’s well being.  That is beyond the scope of a nurse’s responsibility.  In fact, a nursing home cannot authorize any restraints, medication, medical treatment , change in diet or therapy without a physician’s okay.  A complete physical exam before entering a nursing home may help in evaluating what treatments are needed, the duration of a loved one’s stay, and the potential for rehabilitation.

When choosing a nursing home for your loved one, you should compile a list of several that would be appropriate.  It is essential that you visit each one in person. Things to look for are:

Location

• Close to a hospital for emergencies
• Convenient for you, friends, relatives, and your loved one’s doctor

Visiting Hours

• Are the hours convenient?
• Can you visit at any time?

Size of Facility

• Small home = more personal
• Large home = more activities
• Consider the quality of activities and service

Room Selection

• Is attention paid to room and/or roommate selection?
• If loved one dislikes roommate, can he or she change?
• Can we bring some of our own furniture?

Holding a Bed

• If transferred to hospital, is a bed reserved?

Valuables

• How are these protected?

Volunteers

• Are community volunteers used – the more volunteers a home has, the greater the amount of patient services provided

Morale

• How do the patients seem?
• Is there respect and privacy?
• Is there access to TV and radio?

Food

• Does it taste good?
• Ask other patients about it
• Dining room – is it clean and attractive with a nice atmosphere?
• Is the food the right temperature
• Can special diet needs be met?
• Is food available at any other time than at regular meal times?

Grievance procedure

• Is there a procedure in place?
• If there is one, ask other patients if it works.
• Is there a patient’s council?
• Are patient’s involved in the decision-making process?

Financing

• Check what services Medicaid or Medicare covers.
• Are there extra costs above the room rate?

The transition to one of these homes may be difficult at first so be there on moving day, and furnish the new room with items that are familiar.  Family photos are ideal to make it seem you’re your family is “there” even when you’re not.  Always remember to visit often after the move.  The bottom line is, do whatever is best for your loved one.

Source: Sandalwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center