When a loved one is recovering from surgery or an injury-causing accident, skilled nursing care is a vital part of their care plan. The goal of treatment at a skilled nursing facility is to help your loved one recover so they can eventually return home. Family members play an important role and can help their loved ones by being actively involved in their care and treatment.
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What Is the Role of Family in Skilled Nursing Care?
The role of the family in skilled nursing care is to provide emotional support and encouragement and help make care decisions. They can also help to share any concerns or questions their loved one has with the care team.
How Can Family Members Support a Loved One in a Skilled Nursing Facility in Arizona?
Some of the different ways family members can support a loved one while they are at a skilled nursing facility include:
- Visit their loved one regularly to provide emotional support and encouragement
- Interact with their loved one’s care team and learn their different roles
- Participate in their loved one’s care and treatment plan
- Monitor their loved one’s progress
- Raise any questions, issues, or concerns with the care team
- Assist with planning and preparations for when their loved one can return home
What Are the Benefits of Family Involvement in Skilled Nursing Care?
Some of the benefits of family involvement in skilled nursing care are:
- Help to ensure their loved one is actively participating in their recovery
- Help their loved one to feel more comfortable at the facility
- Ensures better health care satisfaction
- Verify their loved one is getting the care and treatment they need to return home
- Provide social interactions so their loved one does not feel alone and isolated
Related: How to Address Questions About Senior Care Needs
How Can Family Members Help With the Emotional and Social Needs of Residents in Skilled Nursing Care?
Family members can help address the emotional and social needs of their loved one in various ways, such as:
- Providing activities: Playing games, putting together puzzles, reading, or engaging in other activities their loved one enjoys can help to improve their mood and emotional well-being.
- Bringing things from home: A favorite blanket or pillow, some pictures, or other items from home can help to make loved ones feel more comfortable and relaxed.
- Planning outings: Family members can work with the care team to plan different outings for their loved ones, such as visiting a park or visiting their favorite restaurant for lunch.
- Bringing friends for visits: Family can provide transportation for their loved ones’ close friends who may no longer drive so they can visit and socialize.
How Does Family Involvement Impact the Quality of Care in Arizona Skilled Nursing Homes?
Family involvement can result in a higher level and quality of care for their loved ones. When they remain active in the care process, it helps to reinforce trust with the staff.
Family members can ensure their loved ones are making progress in their recovery. They can also verify that their loved ones get the rehabilitative care and treatment needed to regain their independence.
Furthermore, they can help prepare their loved ones for returning home. Sometimes, modifications may need to be made in the home to ensure their loved one’s independence.
What Are the Challenges Families Face When Caring for a Loved One in Skilled Nursing Care?
Some of the challenges families could face when their loved one is in skilled nursing care include:
- Unfamiliar surroundings: Their loved one may not be comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings. This can be remedied by bringing items in from home.
- Emotional difficulties: Family members and their loved ones may feel anger, guilt, frustration, or sadness for different reasons. Emotional issues can be addressed through family counseling with a therapist at the facility.
- Worries about isolation: Family members can be concerned about their loved ones feeling isolated and alone. Regular visits can help with this challenge.
- Disregard for personal preferences: Loved ones often have preferences for various things, like bedtimes, a favorite cup, or being able to see a favorite TV show. Family members can work with the skilled nursing facility to ensure their loved one’s preferences are being accommodated, as well as bring things in from home.
- Not being able to visit: When the family does not live nearby, there can be issues with being unable to visit. However, family members can still be active virtually in their loved ones’ care and treatment plans.
- Lack of support: Family support in a nursing home can be a concern when the family feels like they and their loved ones are not getting the support they need. This can be remedied by getting to know the staff and being actively involved.
How Often Should Family Members Visit a Loved One in a Skilled Nursing Facility?
The frequency of family visits with a loved one in a skilled nursing facility will vary from one family to another. How close family members live, family dynamics, relationships between loved ones, and personal schedules can all affect visitation schedules.
Ideally, the family should initially visit several times a week to help their loved ones adjust to the skilled nursing facility. Once their loved ones feel comfortable, bi-weekly visits are recommended.
If family members live out of town but within reasonable driving time, they should try to visit as often as possible on the weekends. When it is challenging to plan regular visits, family members should work with the facility to schedule regular virtual visits with their loved ones. Additionally, the family should visit on special occasions, such as birthdays and holidays.
Related: Addressing Loneliness and Social Isolation in Seniors
What Should Family Members Look for When Choosing a Skilled Nursing Facility in Arizona?
Some key things to look for when helping a loved one choose a skilled nursing facility in Arizona are:
- Inviting and comfortable environment
- Range of amenities
- Resident-centric care
- Personalized care and treatment plans
- Appropriate staff-to-resident ratio
- Respect for residents
- Mental health support and counseling when needed
- Varied and frequent activities
- Ease of family visits to accommodate personal schedules
- Treatment goals to rehabilitate and help residents to return home
Find Quality Care at Our Skilled Nursing Facility in Arizona
Haven Health offers personalized and comprehensive care and treatment plans for residents at our skilled nursing facility in Arizona. We encourage and support family involvement in assisted living at our facilities. We can also assist with transitioning to our assisted living facility when loved ones need ongoing assistance and support. Contact us today for further information about our facilities, services, and how we help support family involvement in assisted living.
Contact Haven Health to Learn More About our Skilled Nursing Facilities
Sources:
Esposito, L. (2023). How to Stay Connected to Your Loved One in a Nursing Home.
Family Involvement in Nursing Homes.
Goyer, A. (2023). Managing the Transition from Hospital to Rehab to Home.