What are the staffing levels at Hopecare Homes?

Our team is composed of caregivers and personal aides with experience and training specializing in elder care. Our licensed staff involved in providing care for your loved ones receives additional training and education through regular in-services. We run background checks on our employees, including fingerprints, a DSHS requirement, to make sure that our residents are given meticulous care by trusted individuals. We have a maximum of 6 residents living in each home, with two licensed caregivers working each day to provide supervision and care to our 6 residents. With a 3:1 resident to caregiver ratio, our caregivers are not only able to meet all of the care needs of our residents, they are able to spend 1:1 time with them visiting, doing activities, and attending to their personal, individual needs.

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What happens at night?

Hopecare Homes have awake night staff. Our resident manager resides in the home and is available to assist the nighttime caregiver should an emergency or unusual care need ever occur.

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Do Hopecare Homes offer any activities?

We have two visiting entertainers:

• a piano musician, who comes to the house twice a month and plays the piano for an hour for our residents, and

• an activities director, who comes to the house every week for 90 minutes, providing exercises and games for the body and mind.

 

In addition, caregivers assist the residents with a variety of range of motion exercises every day or per a doctor’s order.

 

Daily scheduled activities vary by day of the week and interests in the home, but generally include: audio books, movies and popcorn, Spa Day (manicures and pedicures), ball toss game, bingo, painting or music, baking activities, and gardening.

 

We also do individual 1:1 activities with residents, such as walking outdoors, picking flowers or vegetables, letter writing, puzzles, etc. Throughout the day, caregivers interact with the residents and often the residents visit with the caregivers as they go about their tasks.

 

What kind of food is served?

In our homes, we feel that food is something to be enjoyed and celebrated. We cook almost all of our meals from scratch, using the freshest vegetables, fruits, meats and seafood.

 

We bake homemade goods and treats; snacks and desserts are always available. Breakfast is served around 8:00 am - 8:30 am, with the option of being adjusted based on our resident’s needs. Lunches and dinners are pre-planned and served at noon and 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm, with the flexibility to accommodate requests for a different choice, if a resident does not like a certain main dish or side dish. In our homes, residents are encouraged to inform us of any dish or desserts they wish to have.

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What if a family member wants to join the resident for a meal?

We strive to cook the correct amount at each meal for our residents and caregivers to minimize leftovers and waste. If the family wants to bring a takeout meal and share it with their loved ones, we can certainly accommodate that.

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Are there any special celebrations happening at Hopecare Homes, such as birthdays and holidays?

Every resident’s birthday is celebrated. A special table is set up with balloons, flowers and a cake that is shared with the other residents and caregivers. We also invite family members to join us for important celebrations, such as birthdays and our annual Christmas party. All other holidays are celebrated with our residents by providing a celebratory meal. Residents enjoy helping to plan the decorations and menu for these fun occasions.

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Is smoking or alcohol allowed at Hopecare Homes?

No. Hopecare Homes are smoke and alcohol-free facilities. None of our residents or staff smoke. Smoking and alcohol are not allowed anywhere on our properties.

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What about haircuts and hair styling?

Our caregivers assist our residents with showers and hair washing once a week and will blow dry or style the residents’ hair for them, per their preferences. A beautician is available by appointment for haircuts, perms or any other hair styling. Some residents request or require showers more frequently, which we can also accommodate.

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What happens if the resident has a medical crisis?

All our caregivers and resident managers are trained to assess and respond in a medical emergency. If a resident has a significant and possibly life-threatening medical emergency (such as a stroke, heart attack, sudden change in status, significant respiratory distress, etc.) 911 will be called, as well as the family. If the family is not reachable or immediately available to meet the resident at the ER, then the Provider of Hopecare Homes or a resident manager will go to the ER with the resident and stay with them until a family member can arrive. We never send a resident to the ER alone unless the resident is alert, cognitive, and able to answer questions for themselves.

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What if a resident falls?

All our caregivers are trained to do basic assessments after a fall. If a fall occurs, 911 will be called to assess the resident. A report will be made to the doctor, power of attorney and the RN delegator. We also have special measures in place to prevent falls, including use of motion sensor alarms near beds, call buttons for a faster reach of a caregiver and sufficient staff to provide visual supervision and quick attention to resident calls for assistance.

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How are medications managed?

Hopecare Homes keep in close communication with the resident’s doctor and pharmacy, obtaining and maintaining prescriptions for all medications the resident takes. We use “Ready Meds” as our pharmacy. This long-term care pharmacy works with all insurances and they provide us with medications in a bubble packed system as well as a MAR (Medication Administration Record) where we document every dose and time that medications are given. Nurse delegation and training is provided to the staff by an RN in medication administration.

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Do Hopecare Homes have a visiting physician?

Yes. Most of our families choose to use NW Geriatrics visiting MD/ARNP service as the care provider for their resident. This service bills through Medicare and makes home visits to the resident. This minimizes the need for the resident to arrange transportation to a clinic and also prevents having the vulnerable senior sitting around in a waiting room where they are potentially exposed to patients with illnesses or infections. NW Geriatrics becomes the “Family Doctor” and visits all of our residents every 6-12 weeks and is available by phone or email for questions, or to review status changes as needed. Although residents can continue to go see their previous family practice physician or ARNP if they would like, most families appreciate the convenience of the visiting service and choose to transition to NW Geriatrics.

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What about other medical services?

A visiting podiatrist, who bills through Medicare and visits the home every 60 days to provide podiatric care, is available upon request. This podiatrist accepts most insurances and there is, thus, no charge to the resident outside of what is billed to Medicare. For the few insurance types that will not reimburse the podiatrist, there is the option to self-pay for this visiting podiatry service. Hopecare Homes provide manicures, pedicures, and polish as an activity. We also work closely with Evergreen Home Health for visiting Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, and Wound Care Nurses when needed.

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Visiting hours?

Families and friends are welcome to visit at any time, although we will make some requests regarding the times of day that visits are less likely to upset the residents. Some of our residents are easily distracted by visitors and thus tend to not eat well if a visitor is present during mealtimes. After 8:00 pm, some of our residents are retiring to bed, so after 8:00 pm visits are less desirable. So generally, visiting after 10:00 am and before 8:00 pm and not visiting during lunch or dinner time is preferable. Thank you!

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Have questions with regards to fees, move in and hospice care?  Then please visit our Rates page.

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