A nursing home plays a significant role in the health care system of the country. For many older adults, living in a Montgomery County Nursing Home cannot be avoided, and at some point in their life, this “institution” for some will serve as a place of residence for them.

Aside from these retired individuals, a nursing home also serves as a temporary shelter for those young people who are in a high-risk of medical attention and prone to hospitalization such as adverse drug events and infections. While the importance of nursing homes becomes more visible in the medical field, they are expected to improve the quality of care and safety of their institutions to avoid inter-facility problems. 

It must feel like home

Because of the increasing number of older adults who are staying in a Montgomery County Nursing Home for long-stay support, this facility is being established as a house rather than a medical institution. And to achieve this, a homelike environment is being maintained and as well as the quality of life. A close relationship is being practiced between those who are staying for long-term and short-term, the families of every resident, the staff who are working closely with everyone, and the community as a whole.

While this close relationship is being practiced, medical responsibilities are still followed especially for those residents who are experiencing chronic illnesses. Caring for both the short-stay and long-stay residents under the same roof will require different approaches. But the spirit of making them feel like it’s their “home” will always be part of the nursing home’s priority. 

Proper medical rules are still observed

Since a nursing home is a “home” for both older adults and young people who need medical care, the safety of everyone is very important. This vulnerable population is required to maintain a balance between the support of highly individualized care and the attention to quality-improvement programs. The following are some of the examples that will keep the safety of every life that is staying inside a nursing home:

• The assisted living professionals in Montgomery County who are dealing with nursing home residents and seniors in assisted living facilities still need to practice hand hygiene and recommended to wear gloves – even though they have been taking care of someone they have known personally or someone they have known for years. 
• Assisted living professionals in Montgomery County are expected to wear masks if an influenza outbreak is identified. This practice is strictly imposed even though it will mean that they need to use an alternative way to communicate with residents who are hearing impaired.

The stigma of nursing homes

The residents of a Montgomery County Nursing Home are exposed to the risk of obtaining multidrug-resistant organisms through exposure to health care or those individuals they are facing every day. Within a nursing home, facilities such as rehabilitation equipment, dining rooms, and other recreation areas are being shared, and this type of setup brings many opportunities for health risks. This is a huge difference when it comes to hospitals because isolation is strictly implemented if medical practitioners can see the need to do it. Another thing that will make Montgomery County Nursing Home different from a hospital is the fact that patients don’t socialize with one another in the latter medical institution. 

Isolation is the main stigma of a nursing facility. Since a home-like setting must be set in a nursing home, a situation like installing a wall-mounted alcohol-based hand rub can set a “hospital-like environment”. Although this will reduce the chances of pathogen transmission, it cannot be done because it can affect the home-like environment. 

The difference in infection prevention between a nursing home and home care

Have you ever asked about how infection prevention is being handled? There is a huge difference between these two setups. With a Montgomery County Nursing Home, a caregiver takes care of a single individual. But in an institution, like schools and the military, an infectious outbreak cannot be avoided. Due to this, infection prevention processes are readily available to be executed during this incident. This goes that same with an assisted living facility in Montgomery County.

Because seniors are living under the same roof and they can get in touch with each other every day, infections can be passed from one person to another. These infectious agents such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, group A streptococcus, norovirus, influenza, etc., can also be spread through the hands of medical care workers who are dealing with several patients within a day. 

Improving the infection prevention program in a nursing home

The overall quality improvement program and patient’s safety that will be regulated inside nursing homes must be different from other medical institutions such as a hospital. We should focus on determining the best practice that will be effective in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Skilled health care in Montgomery County is not hard to come by judging by the number of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the county. This only goes to show that health services and access to great health service is a priority in the county.

A medical care program for those short-stay patients in a care center or senior care facilities that offer skilled nursing, must also be enhanced to reduce readmissions. In the end, a strong and strategic conversation among nursing home leaders, referring hospitals, direct-care providers, and consumers will guarantee high-quality care for our older adults.

You can look for health services facilities for elderly adults or seniors who need access to community facilities in Montgomery County. You can look online and review what they offer, the rates, and what kind of support services you will be getting from these facilities. You can also call the center and request to view the facilities before signing up for a short or extended stay.

The process is not easy and it may take a few trips to various facilities before you can find the right blend of services and care. The important thing is to make the patient feel at home.