skilled nursing care at Haven Health

Medicare.gov defines skilled nursing care as, “nursing and therapy care that can only be safely and effectively performed by, or under the supervision of, professionals or technical personnel. It’s health care given when you need skilled nursing or skilled therapy to treat, manage, and observe your condition, and evaluate your care.”

In all cases, skilled nursing care is provided by licensed professionals under the care of a physician. In all cases, it includes intense medical support that can only be provided by a professional, such as IV support and medication management. It also almost always includes therapy support, including speech, occupational, and physical therapies. 

Skilled nursing is generally provided in facilities, like ours at Haven Health. In many cases, it’s considered to be the “bridge” between hospital and home. Most patients visit skilled nursing care after a stay in the hospital after an illness, accident, or surgery. Short term skilled nursing patients often receive therapies to help them recover and generally expect to leave the facility within a number of weeks. 

While short-term patients make up the bulk of those in skilled nursing, skilled nursing facilities also care for patients with chronic illnesses. These long-term patients are generally not focused on rehabilitation, but management of illnesses and injuries. Most long-term patients can expect to spend their lives within skilled nursing facilities. 

Skilled nursing services are important because they provide a specific level of care between hospital and assisted living or home. Skilled nursing provides essential medical care to people who would otherwise have to be in the hospital in a more home-like atmosphere that most people find more comfortable. 

By granting patients access to 24/7 medical care from licensed staff, as well as intensive therapeutic services, patients can achieve better recovery outcomes than at home or in other forms of care. 

For long-term patients not focused on recovery, skilled nursing facilities provide essential medical spaces for the management of their conditions that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to manage alone. 

Skilled nursing facilities provide two kinds of services: help with the activities of daily living, and medically necessary services performed by medical professionals. 

Like assisted living facilities and nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities provide help with what are called “activities of daily living.”

This includes helping patients with: 

• Hygiene, such as teeth brushing and showering
• Nutrition, such as meal preparation and feeding
• Laundry services and dressing
• Toileting

Unlike other custodial care facilities, skilled nursing facilities also provide complex medical care from trained and licensed medical professionals. 

Skilled nursing facility services include: 

• 24/7 licensed nursing care
• Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
• Wound care and surgical recovery support
• IV therapy and injections
• Respiratory treatment
• Medication administration and monitoring
• Pain management
• Tube feeding
• Care coordination with doctors and specialists
• Respiratory care

One important aspect of skilled nursing facilities is a focus on rehabilitation. Haven Health provides dedicated therapies from licensed therapists, such as speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. 

This focus on therapy ensures rehabilitation-focused patients have the best outcomes, shortest stays, and return home best equipped to take on the challenges of daily life. 

There are generally two types of patients at skilled nursing facilities: short- and long-term patients. 

Short term residents are most often visiting skilled nursing facilities after a stay in the hospital, and are recovering from surgery, an illness, or injury. These patients are focused primarily on rehabilitation. 

Long-term residents are most often managing complex and chronic illnesses or injuries. The care for these patients is focused on management of conditions rather than rehabilitation. 

Common reasons people might stay at a skilled nursing facility in Arizona include: 

• Post-stroke care
• Post-heart attack care
• Care after joint replacement surgery
• Care after other major surgeries
• Care after traumatic injuries
• Care after hospital stays 
• Care for orthopedic injuries
• Care for severe infections
• Chronic illness flare-ups
• General chronic illness care
• Care for serious neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s or dementia
• Post-hospitalization due to complex conditions

Like the hospital, patients often only stay in skilled nursing facilities as long as medically necessary. 

For patients that are focused on recovering from illness or injury, stays may last only a few days, with longer stays lasting a few weeks or months. 

For patients whose care is focused on managing significant chronic illnesses, they may stay for the duration of their lives. 

At Haven Health, personalized care is the foundation of our care philosophy. Upon intake, every patient receives a unique and personalized care plan to fit their background, needs, and goals. 

These care plans are created with the input of facility medical staff, patients’ medical teams, family, and the patients themselves. Personalized care plans always take into account patient goals, patient medical history, and current patient medical condition. Care plans are updated as often as necessary to track goals, progress, and overall medical situation. 

When you choose Haven Health, you can be sure you or your loved ones will not only be receiving the best medical care in the state, but that medical care will be personalized, regularly updated, and conform to your personal goals as well as medical necessity.

Haven Health is proud to offer multiple locations across Arizona for skilled nursing services. Our experienced, licensed medical professionals are among the best in the state, and provide quality skilled nursing care to all of our residents. 

All of our facilities boast a warm, compassionate environment that is welcoming to all residents, and we place immense importance on trust, safety, and quality of life. For many years Arizona families have trusted Haven Health to provide high-quality services across the state. 

Our personal and holistic approach to care ensures the best outcomes and most compassionate care. Patient wellbeing and comfort is our highest priority.