Scranton Nursing Homes Information

Short-term care and long-term care are the broadest forms of nursing care. Some institutions also specialize in the treatment of specific medical conditions, like diabetes or Alzheimer’s.

Short-term nursing care focuses on assisting the recovery of patients who have been previously hospitalized for heart attacks, aneurisms, strokes, falls and other acute medical trauma. While in the hospital, a patient’s doctor will assess whether or not patients need further medical care through a short-term nursing stay. Nursing personnel design an individualized path of recuperation for each patient. The goal of nursing care is to restore patients’ strength and function to a level where they can pursue lower forms of care. This objective is often achieved through occupational, physical, speech or respiratory therapy sessions. The most common post-nursing care destinations are assisted living and in home residential care.

An estimated 75 percent of short-term nursing patients were previously in a hospital. Quality hospital care can help patients build a proper platform for their eventual full recovery. In Scranton, the health care providers with the highest ratings for patients’ hospital experiences are Regional Hospital of Scranton and Moses Taylor Hospital.

Long-term care admits patients who have moderate to severe mental and physical impairments like Parkinson’s, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, hypothyroidism, dementia, cancer or general decline due to advanced age. Patients are often in long-term care because their condition had declined past a point their former type of care could properly treat. They have complex and elaborate symptoms that require responsive and extensive courses of action. Caregivers must collaborate to adequately meet the needs of each long-term patient. Doctors and nurses are available for continuous monitoring and to perform medical procedures like colostomies, tracheostomies, injections, medication adjustment, blood testing and wound care. Patients’ activities of daily living, like walking, dressing, eating and bathing, are aided by non-medical personnel. Social and recreational professionals are responsible for giving companionship to patients and stimulating interaction through events, games, dinners and outings.

The monthly costs for Scranton skilled nursing facility residency fall below the Pennsylvania median level. Private SNF rooms bear a monthly cost of $7,680, nearly $600 per month under the state median. Semi-private SNF accommodations cost $7,528 per month, $100 per month less than the median.

In general, many seniors and their families view nursing care in a negative light. The stigma is often caused by reports of certain institutions providing improper or neglectful care. Some also see nursing homes as places where patients wait out the rest of their lives. Both understandings do not correctly represent the industry. Many long-term patients’ deteriorating health conditions are not only stabilized but reversed. They often see enough improvement in their health to move back to a less inclusive type of care. While these outcomes depend on the severity of patients’ issues, quality nursing care gives them a good chance for a favorable result.