Expanded Assisted Living Services Better Supports St. John’s Residents
“I came directly from home by my own decision.”
George Dunn’s move to the Hawthorne at St. John’s Meadows over two years ago immediately dispels a couple of common misconceptions about moving to an enhanced assisted living community.
- While such a move often does involve a transition directly from the hospital or a skilled nursing rehabilitation unit, with proper planning, a less stressful move from home is possible.
- People making this transition can retain control over their lives while coming to an informed decision on the best new home for themselves.
George’s path to the Hawthorne started with his wife’s stay in the rehabilitation center at St. John’s Home, where he and his family were pleased with the care and attention she received during her recovery. “I was impressed with their demeanor and overall attitude of how they care for their residents,” recalls George. He and his family were now familiar with St. John’s when his own care needs started to increase. His thoughts once again turned to his wife. “I knew that I didn’t want her to have to be a caregiver,” he says.
George eventually decided to make the move from his home in Brockport to the Hawthorne in Brighton, where he can live his life as self-sufficiently as possible while receiving assistance with a few aspects of day-to-day life. This is what assisted living is all about: remaining as independent as possible while taking advantage of services to help continue to live an active, engaged life.
Residents at the Hawthorne will now have an even greater ability to age in place with the addition of the Enhanced Assisted Living Residence (EALR) licensure recently approved through the New York State Department of Health. This designation allows Hawthorne staff to implement additional support—above and beyond that of traditional assisted living care—to keep residents living where they wish for as long as possible.
Charlie Runyon, St. John’s President and CEO, calls the approval of this EALR designation a milestone for St. John’s and current and future residents. “Our ability to help people age in place more comfortably while allowing them to utilize their resources more efficiently will bring meaningful benefits to our residents for years to come. Providing this increased level of care promises to significantly strengthen the St. John’s spectrum of care.”
Kristen Patton, program manager at the Hawthorne, is in agreement. “The enhanced assisted living license will allow us to provide that total scope of care much easier,” she says. However, she describes care partners, nurses, and other members of the Hawthorne care team working collaboratively all along to identify the changing needs of residents before they reach a critical issue. She touts the “all hands on deck” approach to caring for residents that has occurred for years in a community smaller than most other assisted living options in the area (the Hawthorne can care for up to 42 residents). Kristen adds: “we really pride ourselves on managing the changing needs that come with aging. We happily do the leg work to facilitate securing any needed medications, medical devices, or other services that someone may need that can make life better for everyone living here.”
The EALR license gives St. John’s the ability to keep people living at the Hawthorne longer by ramping up the types of services that would fall outside of the retention standards of traditional assisted living. These tasks include help with transfers (standing from a chair or bed), assistance with bathing, incontinence management, more frequent safety checks and meal reminders, diabetes management, injections, and eye drops. “Residents can even get daily showers,” says Kristen. “Our ability to help with these activities of daily living really can make a difference in our residents’ ability to remain here longer and stay out of the hospital.”
That peace of mind has made all the difference for the family of George Dunn, whose wife Betty now also resides at the Hawthorne. “We have four children who are all happy we’re here,” says George. “I know they appreciate that they don’t have to hold their breath every time the phone rings.”
Visit our assisted living apartments page to learn more about the Hawthorne and schedule a tour today!