To meet the needs of residents who require some assistance with the functions of daily living, Goodwin House provides Assisted Living. There are 28 private rooms and 15 one-bedroom units on the third floor of the Crossroads. GHBC Assisted Living is licensed by the Virginia Department of Social Services and is administered as a neighborhood with common areas, including living and dining rooms and activity areas. For information on admission, services, and fees, contact Taneisha Hampton, Administrator for Assisted Living & The Terrace, ext. 7265.

ADMISSION:

Residency in Assisted Living may be temporary or permanent. An individual may become a resident in Assisted Living if:

• S/he is no longer able to manage activities of daily living in his/her apartment. This move is permanent.
• S/he no longer needs the skilled nursing care and/or rehab provided in the Health Care Center but is not able to live independently. This could be temporary or permanent.

The decision that a resident will move from Residential Living to Assisted Living is made only after several discussions. A nurse, social worker, family member, or the resident himself may recognize increasing difficulty in managing basic daily activities such as dressing, bathing and toileting. An interdisciplinary team including staff from Health Services, the Executive Director, and a chaplain discuss the needs of the resident, where the resident wants to live, and how s/he can live safely. The team will present recommendations to the resident’s primary care physician, the resident, and his/her family.

The monthly fees for Assisted Living are based on the resident’s life care plan contract. Transportation, laundry, hair salon, and catered meals are in addition to the monthly fee and are charged to the resident’s account. Medications, medical supplies, special treatments, and personal care items are also additional charges if the resident requests staff to obtain them.

The Assisted Living neighborhood has an administrator, a manager, and a social worker, all of whom are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

LIFE IN ASSISTED LIVING

Residents in Assisted Living are expected to be fully dressed in the halls, common areas, and dining rooms. To the extent that they are able, residents are encouraged to participate in all activities in GHBC, such as Saturday evening movies, art classes, current events discussions, volunteer activities, and committee meetings. The special activities in the Assisted Living neighborhood are shown on the Assisted Living Activity Board.

Whether a resident has a private room or a one-bedroom suite, that is his/her home.  Residents are encouraged to bring furniture and personal items. GHBC provides a hospital bed for the ease and safety of the resident and staff providing care. If needed, the resident may also receive a chair, dresser, night stand and lamp to furnish the room. Assisted Living provides bed and bath linens. A laundry room on the floor, equipped with a washer, dryer, iron and ironing board is available for residents to do personal laundry; GHBC Personal Laundry service is available for a fee.

Residents who leave the third floor for a meal or an activity should inform a staff member. This will help the staff locate a resident in case of an emergency, visitors, or doctor visits.

Each resident has an assigned USPS mailbox in Assisted Living with a number corresponding to the room number. There is also a USPS mailbox for outgoing mail. When a resident moves permanently to Assisted Living, s/he must complete a change of address form for the USPS. Each resident also has an in-house mailbox near the door of his/her apartment for GHBC flyers, invitations, notices, or other mail that cannot be delivered to the USPS mailbox.

Each resident receives a key to his/her apartment and may lock the door. Team members are able to open the door in emergencies. Replacement keys for apartments and mailboxes can be obtained for a nominal fee.

SERVICES IN ASSISTED LIVING

NURSING CARE
Care Partners [including licensed nurses (RNs), registered medication aides (RMAs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs)] provide limited nursing care and assistance 24 hours a day. Medications and treatments are administered by a licensed nurse or RMA according to the resident’s prescribed medication and treatment schedule. In accordance with Assisted Living Facility Regulations, all medications, vitamins, and over-the-counter medication, lotions, and ointments must be administered by a medication team member. If a resident wants to administer his/her own medications, the interdisciplinary team and the primary physician will make an assessment to determine if the resident is able to manage this task. If a resident chooses to use a pharmacy other than CVS at GHA, s/he will be responsible for obtaining and maintaining prescribed medications.

Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) assist with showers two times a week and provide some assistance with dressing, buttons, zippers, shoes, socks and undergarments. Reminders are provided for medications and meal times.

COUNSELING AND SUPPORT
The social worker can provide information about all GHBC services to residents in Assisted Living and their families.  Counseling for individuals, couples, and families is available and may be especially helpful regarding issues of adjustment to Assisted Living, the loss of a loved one, or feelings of sadness or anger.

DINING
Residents may have meals in one of the two dining rooms on the 3^rd floor or in one of the three dining venues on the 1^st floor. There is no assigned seating in any of these dining venues, but reservations are required in the Jefferson Dining Room (JDR). For a brief period of time during an acute illness, meals may be provided in the resident’s room.

Snacks are available 24 hours a day in the assisted living pantry for residents. Residents may also keep snack items in their apartments stored in sealed containers.

SHOPPING AND SUPPLIES
Residents are encouraged to purchase their personal preference items, such as soaps, lotions, hair, and dental care products. Assisted Living can provide items such as tissues and incontinent supplies for a charge that is added to the resident’s account.