Long Term Care: Queens, New York
Nursing Home : Extended Care Facility
The aging of America is a well documented phenomenon, and as the elderly live longer, provision must be made for the long term care of individuals with complex and chronic healthcare needs. At Silvercrest we are committed to helping meet this growing need and stand ready to provide a comfortable home to those unable to live independently, as well as needed medical therapy for those aged patients who also require sophisticated medical and nursing treatments.
Friendships develop quickly between residents through the recognition of shared interests and participation in a myriad of activities. These friendships have no boundary with respect to age or background since all long term care residents commingle readily. Recognizing the energy that youth always brings, Silvercrest also supports a number of programs that attract young people and get them involved with our residents. The benefits of these "multigenerational" sessions can be clearly seen to flow in both directions.
Resources exist to support residents in pursuits from recreation, to study and religious observance. And just as each patient soon comes to feel a part of the Silvercrest family, so too, are her relatives soon adopted as well. Parties, celebrations, club meetings and other gatherings are all venues for family visitation and the maintenance of those bonds of love so important to each resident.
Geriatric residents making their permanent home here derive great benefits from sharing in the notable medical and rehabilitative resources of Silvercrest. Those in need of sophisticated medical therapies can often find all they need right here, avoiding onerous trips to other facilities for care. Among the services supported are:
- intravenous therapy
- diabetes care
- wound care
- continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (PD).
- speech & swallowing therapies
Care As In A Private Office
"The Wellness Center" is a unique environment within the Silvercrest complex that brings comfort and efficiency together for the medical evaluation and treatment of our residents. The Center is, in effect, a well equipped "private physician's" office to which residents come for comprehensive "outpatient" type care.
The Wellness Center
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Under the direction of a dedicated Medical Service Coordinator, the Center welcomes specialists from a variety of disciplines. These practitioners are able to more efficiently serve the Silvercrest population because of the coordination the Center and its staff provide. Doctors need not seek out residents within the complex, but know that their patients will be awaiting them in the Center, and that all pertinent medical information will have been assembled for each visit. Residents, as well, greatly enjoy what the Center provides. Its clean and modern design present a new surrounding and a new "set of faces" in the patient's daily routine. The ability to "go to see the doctor" at his office mimics times of greater independence and fosters a comforting sense that all is well.
Dementia Services
LTC Videos
Those suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia have very special needs. Key among these is a safe and secure environment designed to maximize their level of orientation. The Dementia Service at Silvercrest has the secure, 4 North wing as its home base, and although some residents with advanced illness remain within the unit at all times, many others are able to partake in the activities and enjoy the surroundings of other areas within Silvercrest.
Our staff brings a special kindness and commitment to their work with this challenging group of residents. Every effort is made to engage each individual and to work to maintain cognitive skills. Group activities, along with group and individual recreational therapies keep residents stimulated and allow staff to continually reassess the functional level of each patient. Our Director of Pastoral Services has unique skills in interacting with dementia patients, and he is active is providing worship opportunities to this group.
Mental impairment can, of course, make communication difficult and add greatly to the stresses experienced by residents and by their loved ones. The Dementia Team strives to provide needed support and encouragement to families as part of a holistic approach to care.
Hospice Care
The focus of the traditional medical model of care has been on curing illness, even when a person's condition is known to be terminal. In the past, little attention was paid to relief of suffering and compassionate care of the dying. Silvercrest provides a hospice care program in collaboration with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) so that patients and residents can enjoy being with the people they love and sharing in the warmth of daily life, even as life's end nears.
When an eligible resident has been identified, the Silvercrest/VNSNY Hospice
Care team meets with the family to create an
individual, customized care plan for that resident's
needs. Services can include one-on-one home-health
care and a range of psychosocial supports for
the resident and family. Provision is always made for:
- Comfort: Nurses work with doctors to evaluate and manage any pain and other symptoms.
- Choice: Peoples wishes, values and cultural beliefs are respected
- Support: Chaplains and social workers provide emotional support while dietitians and physical therapists contribute their expertise.
