SENIOR SERVICES AT BIGFORK VALLEY
A few years ago, Bigfork Valley made a dramatic change in its philosophy of senior care. It created one of the forward looking nursing homes which follow the Eden philosophy - one which puts the resident first, instead of institutional convenience.
At a very basic level it meant that the resident, not the nurse or an impersonal “schedule,” would decide such things as when to get up, how to organize the day...even whether to have a bubble bath.
Now the ideals which underlay that successful change are being followed in other services offered to seniors. It’s a “person first” commitment, and it is also a commitment to provide seamless care, care which offers the least disruption as a person may move from independent living into home care, into group living and finally into a nursing home environment.
Home Care
Bigfork Valley Home Care may be the front line in maintaining a person in his or her own home as long as possible. As needs vary, there is also a whole spectrum of care options from skilled nursing to light housekeeping.
Nurses or home health aides can follow up on doctor prescribed care such as sterile dressing changes, injections or medication setups. They also monitor the client’s wellness during their visits. Recently, Bigfork Valley applied for and received a grant to purchase three interactive video monitoring systems which can be brought to a client’s home. These provide a way to allow a registered nurse to see and monitor a home care client during a visit from a home health aide. A registered nurse working from a central location will be able to monitor a patient’s vital signs, hear heart or lung sounds, or see the condition of a wound.
Other types of services include prescribed physical, occupational or speech therapy and assistance with wellness activities such as bathing, meal preparation or prescribed exercise. Trained homemakers may help with laundry, shopping or light housekeeping.
Home care bridges a gap, but it also can prevent a client from moving away from home before it is really needed. There are a number of ways to pay for these services or there is funding for eligible participants to receive them through social assistance programs. For information on how this program can be best tailored to meet your needs or those of a loved one, call Bigfork Valley Home Care at (218) 743-1004.
Adult Day Stay
Day Stay is designed to offer respite to caregivers as well as to support those caregivers with special services that may be needed. It offers elders a safe environment, a chance to take care of physical needs such as bathing, and...equally important...an opportunity to socialize with others.
The Day Stay is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday - Thursday, and transportation is available through the Bigfork Valley bus. For more information, call Bigfork Valley Day Stay at (218) 743-3052.
Senior living apartments
Bigfork Valley Villa is the answer to a low maintenance home in a supportive environment. Thirty apartments make up the complex nestled on the scenic shores of the Big Fork River; half are designated as assisted living apartments with nursing services on call and half are maintained as independent senior living apartments.
Within the Villa, a resident can choose to be totally independent or can select from a number of services. There are also scheduled activities available, a common lounge with a library, a beauty shop, laundry facilities and storage lockers. Pets are allowed.
The location of the Villa also provides some unique benefits. Need to pick up a prescription? Visit the doctor or dentist? Need a hearing aid checkup or a new eyeglass prescription? The Villa is interconnected with the hospital so that it is only a short indoor walk to these services. And for those who love the outdoors, there is a riverside deck and the scenery of the northwoods.
Like to visit the Bigfork Valley Villa? Call the Villa at (218) 743-1000 for an invitation to lunch and a tour.
Long term care
“The nursing home” used to be a term that would conjure up thoughts of sterile corridors, abrasive staff and strict schedules. Not so any longer. The Bigfork Valley Communities have been developed as a different kind of long term care that is resident centered and extends the meaning of “home” into a welcoming environment that ministers to 24 hour needs.
The Communities include three wings, each focusing on a different type of care. But here, too, Bigfork Valley is committed to seamless care, so that a client may remain in familiar surroundings even if his needs have changed.
Spruce Lodge provides care for those who are mobile and are partially independent. Cedar Grove emphasizes care for those who are in therapy to return to health or who have special needs or disabilities. Balsam Lane is a calm and secure environment for those with memory loss, and one which also offers space to move about and engage in familiar daily activities.
In all the Communities, it is Bigfork Valley’s goal to provide support for a resident’s emotional and spiritual needs as well as his physical needs. There are scheduled activities and a chapel. There are resident advocates who are located in the Communities. And for those who welcome it, there may be an occasional visit by Macy Star, a 6 1/2 pound registered Shih Tzu.
For more information about the Communities, call (218) 743-3174.
Bus
How hard is it to stay mobile, to get from place to place when driving is not an option? Bigfork Valley Transportation is a way to solve this problem. Transportation can be scheduled between the health care complex and shopping areas or between the home and the health care complex.
Bigfork Valley Transportation maintains two buses and a van. There is a modest fee or donation for the service. For more information, call the hospital at (218) 743-3177.
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