What do you do when a previous experience in a local skilled nursing facility did not meet your expectations and you need equipment in your knee replaced a second time? You do research, of course! At least that is what Richard Fordice did after his wife experienced less than desirable care from a CMS 2 Star facility. He went online, found out Sunrise Terrace was a CMS 5 Star facility and read positive reviews. Months prior to Richard’s scheduled surgery, he reached out to Sunrise Terrace about our “Get Well…Go Home” program. Although his home was located 35 minutes away, he was adamant about receiving care at our facility. After his surgery at the University of Iowa he asked his discharge planners to send his information to Sunrise Terrace. After they contacted the facility, our Clinical Admission Specialist worked with his discharge planner to ensure a smooth transition.
Steps to Take Before Selecting a Skilled Nursing Facility
- Visit Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s (CMS) Nursing Home Compare Website at https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html (or Google “CMS Nursing Home Compare”)
- Type in your zip code and select the mile radius in which you would like to search. This will tell you each facilities Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) star rating.
- Tour, Tour, Tour!
- Call and schedule a tour with your selected facilities, or just stop by and peek around
- Do NOT skip this step! Go see where your loved one will be staying and who will be providing their care
- Here is a checklist that will be beneficial for your tour https://www.medicare.gov/files/nursing-home-checklist.pdf
