Frequently Asked Questions

A LOT goes into the decision and process of placing a loved one in a nursing facility.  Here are some of the topics we most often get asked about:

• Medical Services
• Medications
• Meals
• Clothing
• Recreation and Visiting
• Personal Items / Miscellaneous
• Care Plan Conferences
• The Admission Process
• Your Questions

Medical Services

Every resident must be under the care of a medical doctor and a dentist (we also ask that residents who reside on a dementia unit be willing to be under the care of a psychiatrist if this intervention is recommended by the care plan team). Our medical directors are Dr. Lynn E. Eiler and Dr. Daniel J. Barkdoll of Partners in Health. If you choose a different physician and the physician does not make house calls, you will be responsible for scheduling appointments and arranging transportation to his or her office. State law requires that a physician see a resident every 30 days for the first 90 days, then routinely every 60 days. A dentist, podiatrist, optometrist, audiologist and psychiatrist come to the facility to care for residents. Physical, Occupational, Speech and mental health therapy are available at the facility. In-house lab services are available which include portable x-ray.

Medications

A physician must prescribe all medications, including over-the-counter medicines. All medications must be labeled in compliance with state and federal laws governing prescription dispensing. If medication is to be secured from a source other than our contract pharmacies, you must make special arrangements for pick-up and delivery. The charge nurse will keep medication. If a resident leaves the facility for a visit, sufficient medication will be dispensed to cover dosage during that time. Medications may be kept in the resident’s room only upon order of the physician and the approval of the Care Plan Team.

The pharmacy you choose will bill you directly.

In order to protect the health and safety of our residents, the facility uses a Unit Dose medication administration system. With this system, each prescription is packaged on a card and the required dose punched out when needed. Only medication packaged in this form may be used at the facility.

Meals

Residents are served three meals per day plus an evening snack. All special diets as ordered by the physician are developed under the direction of a Consultant Registered Dietitian and a Dietary manager. Please talk with the nurse in charge or the Social Service Director regarding the storage of special food that the family wishes to keep here for the resident. Three of our living areas feature kitchenettes that are available for residents and visitors to use.

We understand that residents with dementia have special dietary needs. For example, we approach wandering individuals throughout the day and night with nutritious snacks to assist them in receiving adequate nutrition.

Family members and friends may join the resident here for meals. We charge $3.00 per visitor meal. Please notify the kitchen in advance for reservations: call by 9:30 AM for lunch and 2:30 PM for dinner.

Clothing

Residents generally prefer to wear comfortable wash and wear clothing in the style and type that he or she wore at home. Please bring approximately seven changes of day clothing. Cardigan sweaters or lightweight jackets are a good idea regardless of the season, as aged people tend to chill easily. The resident will also benefit from having a brimmed hat for summer and a warm hat, gloves and coat for winter. Many families keep seasonal clothing at home and switch the wardrobe with the season change. Please bring a bathrobe and slippers with non-skid soles and your resident’s preferred night clothing. Shoes should be non-skid. Residents who are prone to toileting accidents should have washable shoes. Velcro closure shoes are very helpful for most people. We will inventory and label the clothing upon admission. We will let you know when your resident has clothing needs as time goes on. Please take new clothing to a staff member so that we maintain the inventory and properly label clothing.

Recreation and Visiting

Our wish is that you and your loved one continue to share a life together and we will assist you to establish new routines that will continue to make this possible. Please check our monthly activity calendars and join in with your resident as you wish. Ripley Crossing provides many opportunities for outdoor walks and visits. We also have a large common room that you may reserve for family gatherings. We encourage you to include your resident in family outings as appropriate. We have open visiting.

Residents with dementia present special challenges and opportunities for the visitor. Please ask for the handouts Communicating with the Alzheimer’s Patient and Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease, which we have on hand from the organization Southeast Indiana Alzheimer’s Support Groups (1-888-422-2691). We have these and many other topical materials that we would be happy to share with you.

Personal Items and Miscellaneous Information

Please work with the Housekeeping Supervisor or Social Service Director when selecting personal belongings (e.g. furniture, wall pictures, knick knacks, TV, radio) prior to bringing the items into the facility. The mid and late stage dementia units have particular safety considerations. We exclude live plants and live cut flowers and glassware from the mid and late stage units. Residents are free to wander about on these units and due to their impaired cognition, are apt to mishandle items. These units feature secured “memory boxes” for display of personal memorabilia. Please understand that items that are not secured in the memory boxes may migrate to other rooms or be broken. Soft items that feel and look good are very appropriate for these units. The other living areas are more home-like and allow for greater freedom to display and use personal items. A tour of the facility will answer questions you may have about appropriate personal belongings.

Residents frequently bring in a comfortable chair from home, which is fine. We ask that the chair be covered with a vinyl-type (washable) fabric rather than cloth. Electrical appliances that create heat (e.g. electric blanket, heating pad) are not permitted. Men who shave are encouraged to bring an electric razor.

Please work with the Social Service Director to establish TV and phone hook-ups.The resident in Wings One, Two, Three and Four makes arrangement for installation and payment directly with the cable company (Comcast) and phone company (Verizon). Wing Five rehabilitation residents have phone and cable at no extra charge.

The family should retain valuable possessions, such as jewelry. The resident has no need for cash. You can make arrangements with us to keep a resident fund account here in order to have cash on hand for outings and hair care. Residents may not smoke at the facility.

Care Plan Conferences

The care plan is a summary of a resident’s health needs and adjustment challenges and strategies to assist the resident to successfully meet those challenges. The care plan is developed during the first two weeks following admission and reviewed quarterly. The resident (if appropriate) and the resident’s representative are invited to work with the professional team that reviews the resident’s status. We encourage you to approach us with your questions and concerns at any time. We will do our best to respond to you with courtesy and thoroughness.

The Admission Process

Prior to admission, the applicant must comply with State of Indiana Pre Admission Screening Rules and must have a current chest x-ray, which indicates that the patient is free of infectious disease. The resident coming from home must have a history and physical form completed by their physician within 30 days of admission. Ripley Crossing staff will visit the applicant in order to assess his or her condition and make certain that we can appropriately address the applicant’s needs.

Prior to placement, a staff member will also meet with the applicant and/or representative to discuss fees and method of payment.

The day of admission is a busy time. We therefore prefer to complete administrative aspects of the admission prior to the admission day. The applicant or his/her representative should be prepared to produce the applicant’s Social Security Card, all current health insurance cards, long term care policy (if appropriate), any document which establishes legal over-sight (such as Power of Attorney, Health Care Representative), Living Will. We will make and retain copies of these documents. He or she should be prepared to sign the Admission Agreement, which defines the mutual responsibilities of the facility and resident. We also will discuss the applicant’s wishes regarding life-prolonging procedures (fact sheet available). The new resident will establish one primary contact, with a second contact as back up should we have difficulty reaching the first contact.

The patient or responsible person will receive a monthly bill for services rendered. The bill is a pre bill; i.e. a bill for services one month in advance. Our Office Manager is available Monday through Thursday to answer any billing questions you may have.

Ripley Crossing is a Medicare/Medicaid provider.

Your Questions

Many of us at Ripley Crossing are career long-term care professionals. We understand that the decision to place an individual in a long-term care facility may be a difficult one. We welcome your questions. Please share your concerns and together we will make this experience a positive one for you and your family. This facility and all of its programs and activities are accessible to and useable by disabled persons, including persons with impaired hearing and vision. In addition to fully accessible offices, meeting room, bathrooms, parking areas, dining areas and resident living areas, the facility has a full range of assistive and communication aids for use in the facility, without additional charge. Please contact the Administrator or Department Manager for a list of available aids. Ripley Crossing does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, service and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy, contact the Administrator at 1-812-654-2231.