(SB) – Embassy Rehab Care Center of Sergeant Bluff has been a part of the community for many years and the center of professionals take pride in that fact.
BilliJean Moerman, who became director of the facility just over a year ago, said she and the Embassy staff are dedicated to the care and well-being of all its residents. She spoke of the many
A certified 60 bed facility that maintains two Registered Nurses on duty every shift. They also have five Certified Nurses Aides on staff. Embassy has added to its resident assistance a Restorative program and Aide – a therapeutic program intended to assist residents in their current level of functioning. Accompanying the Restorative program is Embassy’s Skill and Professional Therapies in which residents are assisted in maintaining their physical strength.
“At one time, Embassy was predominately a care facility for the elderly,” Moerman said. “But over the last half dozen years, we are seeing what we call the swing bed admissions – patients who may have fallen and broken their leg, or an arm and have undergone surgery but require additional recovery time.”
The youngest person cared for was age 36, Moerman said. The range of care assistance is dependent on the individual needs of the patient.
For the elderly, the Embassy administrator said that the move from a familiar environment to a new community is a big change, and because that is so, the Embassy staff provides assistance every step of the way. “We develop a personalized health and wellness plan that includes a pre-admission appointment with the patient’s physician,” BilliJean pointed out. “The plan also includes individual preferences, lifestyle interests, and goals.”
Once a patient arrives, Embassy’s transition team helps each person to thrive in his/her new home. The latter includes medication management, assistance with bathing and dressing, wound care, coordinated services with outside healthcare professionals, recreational and social programming, housekeeping, laundry service and apartment maintenance, transportation coordination, three meals per day and snacks, and therapy services that include physical, occupational, and speech.
Additionally, there are options for utilizing in-house services such as dental, audiology,
and podiatry.
The services are a tall order, but as Moerman said, “…they are all critically essential and we adhere to every one of them.”
Embassy’s service to residents continues through additions to its care and assistance programs.
“We have a nutritionist and dietician that collaborates closely with us and our residents.” This is important Billy Jean said, “…because through careful examination of each resident, we detect the possibility that a resident may not have received proper and correct needed care at home. What happens as a result of deficient nutrition is the patient becomes weak the result of which turns into a fall and physical injury.”
The daily multi-operation schedule has distinct purposes.
“What people outside long-term care don’t see is the importance of what we do in having created a schedule that provides good meals, good nutrition, the many activities, the exercise, and the socialization that the residents love. All of these things are important to the well-being of each resident’s mental and physical health. It’s life-extending.”
Moerman compared individual home care to Embassy’s care.
“In home care, you have one person who is required to provide three meals a day. In many cases, which means cooking and food preparation that is constant by the lone home care person, oftentimes trying to see to the patient’s other needs. Here, at Embassy, we have a large, professional staff that is dedicated to particular tasks throughout the day and night – meals, personal hygiene, bathing, room maintenance, monitoring, health checks, medications, prescribed visitations, physician consultations, and, in fact, everything that is essential to the resident’s comfort, health, and welfare.”
Like the training of athletes, each requires a specific regimen – basketball is different from football, and wrestling is different from track – so activities are based on each resident’s preference. “We have a resident council that asks residents what they wish to do or see initiated. As a group, the residents love Bingo. They find it fun playing while at the same time they’re able to socialize with fellow residents and staff.”
There’re individual games, musical hours, seasonal activities – like Valentine’s Day – and traditional holidays, like Christmas, which Moerman said was “absolutely amazing. Students from Dakota Valley had raised money and bought amazing gifts for each of our residents. There were smiles and tears of joy, I can tell you that,” she said with a smile. The individual gifts, the Embassy administrator said, “…were tailored to each resident’s wants and needs.”
Other activities engage residents in exploration, such as wildlife officials who display live birds, raptures, and forest species that the residents can see and learn about.
This spring and summer, BilliJean said, a number of outdoor activities are planned, thus allowing residents to experience sunshine, blue skies, and pleasant weather, along with seeing the community at large, parks, fishing, and summer displays.
Strict adherence is provided in all medication procedures, the latter of which is under the supervision of physicians. In the event that other medical needs arise – such as allergies, colds, coughs, flu, or various symptoms requiring attention – consultation with the resident’s physician always takes place for his professional recommendation. No situation is left to chance, ever.
Embassy, like all care facilities throughout the state, is under the auspices of state regulatory agencies, “… and we have the mounds of paperwork as evidence of our adherence. It’s an integral part of our profession as caregivers,” Moerman said. Therefore, daily care plans are kept at Embassy.
Posted at Embassy is its mission, vision, and values. It reads:
*We are a family-oriented healthcare provider dedicated to excellence whose mission is to enhance the lives of those we serve by providing quality care with respect, dignity, and kindness.
*Working together we will grow, diversify and be the best in all we do!
*We Value Integrity. Doing what is right when no one is looking.
*We Value Respect. We will show consideration for all individuals and create an environment that supports the attainment of personal and professional goals.
*We Value Communication. Open communication flowing in all directions will be the norm. We encourage that listening is a challenging yet integral component in the communication process.
*We Value Honesty. Sharing our visions, goals, and intentions. Be fair in all dealings with employees, customers, suppliers, and the community.
*We Value Cooperation. Cooperation requires teamwork and involvement and is critical to our success. Trust and mutual respect for each other’s responsibilities, functions, skills, and experience are essential ingredients.
Give yourself the opportunity to contact Embassy for more information or a visit. Embassy Rehab and Care Center, 206 Port Neal Road, Sergeant Bluff, IA., or call: 712-943-3837. You’ll be glad you did.
