The festive season is a beautiful time to escape the demands of modern life, enjoy quality time with senior relatives, and honor precious family traditions.
By spending more time with a senior parent or loved one over the holidays, you might also notice changes to their health and needs. If your relative has chronic health conditions they’re struggling to manage alone, or if they’re recovering from a fall, illness, or injury, skilled nursing could provide the perfect level of support going into the new year.
What is Skilled Nursing?
Skilled nursing is a type of residential senior care. Residents benefit from the expertise and support of registered nurses within a comfortable, enriching, and social environment rather than in the hospital. Skilled nursing care can be short-term for rehabilitation or recovery from injury or surgery or long-term for the management of chronic health issues that requires 24/7 nursing oversight.
Skilled Nursing Uplifts the Whole Family
A great skilled nursing facility can improve families’ physical and emotional well-being. When seniors are given the proper empowerment and support, they can feel like their happiest, healthiest, and most purposeful selves. Family caregivers are given the priceless peace of mind they deserve and can attend to other essential responsibilities that require their time.
Benefits of Skilled Nursing for Seniors
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- Freshly prepared meals to support health and recovery.
Health conditions or poor mobility can significantly damage seniors’ ability to prepare and cook meals. Even the initial task of getting to and from the store for groceries can sometimes be exceptionally challenging. In senior living, residents enjoy freshly prepared meals catered to the dietary requirements of aging adults. Skilled nursing communities are experienced in providing specialized care and can manage complex nutritional needs.
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- Improved safety and security measures.
It’s not uncommon for seniors with health conditions to become unsafe in their own homes. Issues like poor mobility or memory loss can leave a senior vulnerable to falls or less able to maintain their home and attend to activities of daily living (ADLs) independently. In skilled nursing, seniors have around-the-clock access to accessible facilities and compassionate caregivers who can assist with everyday tasks like bathing, moving around, and getting dressed.
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- Involvement in a nurturing, social community.
Not only do skilled nursing settings provide expert medical and practical support from caregivers and registered nurses, but they’re also warm and welcoming communities. Senior care providers understand how important it is for aging adults to enjoy meaningful connections and purposeful activities and work hard to provide daily social and recreational opportunities that suit various interests.
Benefits of Skilled Nursing for Family Caregivers
The benefits of skilled nursing stretch far beyond those experienced by residents themselves. A professional nursing community could offer the all-around solution if you live far from your senior relative. At the same time, your loved one receives the support they need within a vibrant community, and you can rest assured that they’re safe and content between your visits.
Alternatively, long-term care for your senior loved one can be an excellent way to tackle caregiver burnout if you’re your senior loved one’s primary family caregiver. Caregiver burnout is a state of exhaustion that can have a devastating effect on a family caregiver’s mental and physical well-being. It might be caused by feeling unable to meet your loved one’s needs, conflicting responsibilities, or reduced privacy and autonomy. Some common symptoms of caregiver burnout include:
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- Depression and feelings of hopelessness.
- Low self-esteem.
- Lack of sleep.
- Physical exhaustion or health problems.
- Social withdrawal.
Caregiver burnout is common. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that across a specified 30-day period, 14.5% of caregivers had experienced 14+ mentally unhealthy days, with 17.6% reporting 14+ physically harmful days in the same period. They also found that 36.7% of caregivers get insufficient sleep.
The demands of caring for a family member can lead to many physical and psychological health issues. A person’s risk of caregiver burnout may be increased if their loved one has a complex chronic health condition or if their care is very physically or emotionally demanding.
Why Choose Skilled Nursing at Chapin Home for the Aging?
Since 1869, we’ve provided a proper home for every resident walking through our doors. Aside from offering 24/7 skilled nursing and ADL support, we also have our own wound care specialist and a memory care program for seniors with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia or memory loss.
Short- and long-term patients can benefit from physical, occupational, and speech therapy using our state-of-the-art on-site rehabilitation center, complete with an Activities of Daily Living Kitchen. Targeted rehabilitation equips seniors with the skills and confidence to live as independently as possible with a chronic health issue or effectively recover from illness or injury.
If your loved one lives in Queens, NY, and would benefit from skilled nursing support, contact us today to arrange a guided tour.