At Strode Independent Living, we’re committed to the wellbeing of our residents, so to ensure our community remains active and healthy we have a dedicated wellness nurse on staff.
Pre-Admission Wellness Assessment
Every potential new resident must submit a Physician’s Statement as part of the application process. Completed by your primary care provider, this statement indicates whether they believe independent living is an appropriate and safe housing option for you.
Our wellness nurse reviews this statement, along with any medical records that you or your family provides, to determine whether independent living is a suitable fit based on your medical needs.
If the nurse has questions or concerns, we might request an in-person meeting so that we can get a deeper understanding of your physical and mental wellbeing and gauge your ability to care for yourself while you’re performing daily activities. During this evaluation process, we may also interview your family or loved ones. Our goal will be to determine if additional services, such as home health care, home care providers, physical and occupational therapists, and hospice and palliative care providers, are needed to ensure that you’re entering into an appropriate, safe, and nurturing environment.
On-Going Resident Care
The true value of an onsite wellness nurse comes in their day-to-day interaction with you and your neighbors, as it’s their job to keep tabs on both residents and staff in order to maintain healthy lifestyles community-wide.
At the most basic level, our wellness nurse provides instruction on how to safely use the equipment in our two fitness rooms. The fitness room on the main level of the building is equipped with an elliptical machine, treadmill, recumbent bicycle, and free weights while the upper-level fitness room has been left open, allowing for space to do yoga, stretching, or ball exercises.
[box bg_color=”#dbf3f1″ align=”left”] “When I moved to Morgan Orchards, I wasn’t sure what a wellness nurse was! But I soon found a reason to appreciate having one. The older I get, the more I can get myself concerned about some situation that may be “normal” or could be “significant”. It is great to be able to check quickly with a professional as to whether one is over-reacting or should get an appointment at Gifford. I’m in good health for my age, but I had some minor health issues soon after moving here, and although it is not part of the nurse’s job to give treatment, it offered a sense of security to be able to check in with them, for a blood-pressure check or just for reassurance.”– Resident Betty E.
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Our nurse is also available to meet with you if you have a concern, whether it’s medical or not. If your concerns go beyond the scope of our nurse’s practice, they can refer you to other health care professionals for further care. As part of the Gifford Health Care family, we’re able to tap into a network of more than seventy primary care and specialty providers.
Having a nurse on staff can also offer reassurance during transitions from a hospital stay back to your apartment here at Morgan Orchards. If you require post-operative care, such as after a joint replacement, the wellness nurse can help assess your needs for when you return home to help ensure a successful transition and continued recovery.
Caring for the Community
The wellness nurse’s skills go beyond direct resident care. As a licensed registered nurse, our wellness nurse provides first aid for the community when necessary and instructs both residents and staff on basic first aid and CPR.
