For those not familiar with the term, palliative care reduces the amount of suffering or pain from an illness or disease. Often palliative care is administered when the actual disease course cannot be treated, or when treatment of disease(s) will result in unwanted additional health issues or problems. Many recipients of palliative care are in hospice, but they do not have to be.

ManorCare on Rossmoor Parkway in Walnut Creek, CA, is the whole package  with good looks and a proven track record to back it up. The facility has a “homey” feel that is atypical of a skilled nursing homes facility, while also raising the bar for care.

Beyond first impression:  The swanky Williamsburg Wing offers private accommodations with lush appointments. Amenities include plush carpet, swagged drapery, and dark wood furnishings in residents’ rooms. Director of Admissions Carrie Williams says that the environment is good for friends and family members, as well as the residents, noting that the wing is “less hospital-like, less scary,” taking firsttime visitors by (pleasant) surprise. In the Williamsburg Wing, patients are available, no matter what their health status is, so even those at end of life can spend their remaining days in this cozy, homelike environment.  Soft lighting and dark wood furnishings are found throughout the facility. In the main dining room, special furnishings recall a fine dining atmosphere with white linens and crisply folded napkins, fresh flower arrangements, and a decorative china cabinet. An upright piano and a grand piano add style and elegance.

A family affair:  Making a SNF homey goes beyond simple accord. Rossmoor Parkway residents enjoy regular happy hours that welcome family members and caregivers. Williams says that this is essential in showing families that the atmosphere is a friendly and warm one, not just “some sterile environment.” These events help keep families involved and visiting regularly, and assures them that they have made a good choice in finding a home for their beloved ones.

Numbers don’t lie:  Another area where this home health facility shines is its rehab department. An astounding 97.9% of short-term rehab patients are able to handle their care independently upon discharge. Williams credits the success rate on the consistency of care that she says can be found across the board at the chain’s facilities across the country.