The hallway was long and dimly lit. Staff members walked through the hallway, indifferent to their surroundings and the people they passed. Patients were parked in wheelchairs against the walls. They sat in isolation, speaking to no one, and not being spoken to.
Maybe this is a recurring nightmare you’ve had since a loved one became too ill to manage his or her normal activities of daily living?
Someday, you may have to make care and residence decisions with/for someone. Generally, today’s nursing home environment is far more supportive and caring than that of the dreary nursing home described above.
When searching for a care home Nanaimo residential facility for a loved one, you may find yourself relieved and pleased at the choices available in the community. Let’s consider some of the options in residence-based care centers.
Some nursing homes are designed for residents who don’t need hospital care, but are no longer able to live fully independent lives without some assistance. Often referred to as residential care facilities, they are designed to be more homelike. Residential care facilities may offer:
- Private or semi-private rooms
- Meal services 1 – 3 times daily
- Housekeeping/laundry services
- Management of medication(s)
- Activities
- Transportation to shopping and appointments
Residents in this type of community typically live in safe, accessible settings, receive assistance with daily activities, and may be able to delay transition to long-term care services.
Other nursing home Nanaimo residences function as skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) or nursing homes. Their purpose is to provide continuous short- or long-term care for residents with non-acute illnesses, those who are recovering from injury, or who require post-operative care in a non-hospital facility. SNFs can provide:
- Full time nursing staffing
- Physical, occupational and speech therapy
- Pharmaceutical, laboratory and radiology services
- Activities (social, educational)
- Laundry services
- Hospice care (some facilities)
Services offered by skilled nursing homes Nanaimo can vary from facility to facility. Some offer a standard set of nursing care services while others may also offer care services for patients with such conditions as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.
Some patients will remain full-time residents of SNFs. Others may be residents during a time of recovery and, after regaining sufficient skills to resume living independently, are able to return to their own residences.
One final care home Nanaimo option is the phased assisted living community structured to enable residents to live independently within that community and transition to skilled- or long-term and even hospice care within that community, as needed.
The current and extended condition of your loved one will be the determining factor in what type of residence will provide the best services to meet his or her needs.