NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. — The Community at Sunset Wood says it has found a way to bring therapy services to residents, improving their quality of life and helping to mitigate issues such as falling. As an independent-living facility, the state Department of Health does not permit Sunset Wood to offer such services itself. However, through […]
NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. — The Community at Sunset Wood says it has found a way to bring therapy services to residents, improving their quality of life and helping to mitigate issues such as falling.
As an independent-living facility, the state Department of Health does not permit Sunset Wood to offer such services itself. However, through a partnership with RISE Senior Living of Hunt Valley, Maryland, on-site physical and occupational therapy services are now available to residents.
“They’ve really perfected what it takes to get a clinician into a place like ours and make it successful,” says Dominick Manfredo, executive director and CEO of the Community at Sunset Wood. The community built out its wellness center last year in anticipation of adding therapy services.
It’s important to be able to offer these services on site for several reasons, he notes. First, when services are on-site, residents are more likely to use them. Mobility and transportation issues can be problematic getting residents to off-site services, he adds.
The services are important because they improve independence and mobility for residents, Manfredo says. It keeps them from advancing to the next level of care such as assisted living. “We want people to age in place and live in their own homes as long as they can,” he says.
It also means fewer falls and other incidents that might require getting additional care for residents. Since RISE started working with residents, the number of falls decreased 57 percent. Some tenants that participate in Sunset Wood’s internal wellness program have gone from being near-constant fall risks during walking activities to now being able to walk a mile in about 30 minutes after receiving therapy. More than 30 percent of residents are utilizing therapy services.
Manfredo says one of the things that makes the RISE program so successful is that “they look at the total person and how they’re living.” Therapists can visit a resident’s apartment and get a full picture of their daily life.
It might seem odd, he notes, but a therapist was able to eliminate one resident’s fall risk by discovering his shoes were too big and making him fall.
“It’s helping people age with better quality,” Manfredo says. “It’s helping them get engaged and get involved in our programs.” RISE bills therapy services directly to Medicare, third-party payors, or the residents themselves.
With their recharged mobility, residents will celebrate The Community at Sunset Wood’s 140th anniversary this summer during the community’s annual Summerfest party for residents and their families. The event, which will highlight renovations made to the community’s common area, also serves as its annual fundraiser.
Located at 118 Genesee St. in New Hartford, The Community at Sunset Wood, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, offers an aging-in-place model for senior housing offered at or below market rate. Housing includes 43 suites and 24 penthouses available to seniors ages 62 or older.
RISE Senior Living is a HealthPRO Heritage brand. HealthPRO provides therapy-management and consultation services to organizations including hospitals, outpatient facilities, assisted and independent living communities, home-health agencies, and more.