Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose Pine Ridge Health Care?
If you or a loved one has reached the point of needing specialized care, we are here to help. At Pine Ridge, we pride ourselves on putting our residents' wellbeing first in everything we do. Between our comfortable facilities, numerous amenities, and a caring & skilled staff, we hope to make your transition into long-term care or reaching the end of your rehabilitation journey as smooth as possible.
What amenities are available at Pine Ridge?
We offer comprehensive rehabilitation services including physical, speech, and occupational therapies; 24-hour skilled nursing care; dietician approved diets, offering three daily meals along with snacks; assistance with daily living activities, such as dressing, bathing, and grooming; hospice care providing compassionate end-of-life support; access to a podiatrist, psychiatrist/psychologist, and dentist for specialized medical needs and licensed therapists who develop customized care plans after evaluating residents' specific needs and life goals.
What kinds of recreation & activities do you offer?
Pine Ridge offers a variety of activities seven days per week, allowing residents to engage with their community. Some of the activities offered at Pine Ridge include social gatherings, educational programs, outings, crafts, games, music, gardening, exercise classes, fishing trips, a monthly "meal out", church services, and more.
How will I know it’s time to consider long-term care?
Some signs that it may be time to consider assisted living include needing more help with everyday activities, difficulty keeping up with bathing and personal hygiene, frequent falls, missed medications, or trouble following medication schedules. Other changes in health, mobility, or personal care may also indicate that additional support is needed.
Will I lose my independence if I go into long-term nursing care?
The purpose of long-term care is not to diminish your independence, but rather to enhance it by providing you with the medical care you need. Our ultimate goal at Pine Ridge is to foster an environment that serves our residents' health needs while also improving their quality of life and overall well-being.
What are your visiting policies?
Most nursing home residents are visited by their loving family members and supported throughout their stay. Visitation is not only allowed but encouraged by the staff in nursing homes.
How can I help my loved one adjust to assisted living?
One of the best ways to help your family member adjust to life in a nursing facility is to remember that they are not just moving into a facility—they are moving into their new home. Ask your father how he would like his room arranged and decorated, and help make the space feel comfortable and familiar. While decorations should not interfere with the facility's care policies, personal touches can help create a warm and welcoming environment. A well-decorated room can support not only a resident's physical needs but also their emotional and spiritual well-being. Be sure to talk with staff members about your decorating ideas. They spend time with residents every day and may have helpful suggestions for making your father's room more comfortable and enjoyable.
What rights do patients have?
A long-term care ombudsman helps residents of a nursing facility and residents of an assisted living facility resolve complaints. Help provided by an ombudsman is confidential and free of charge. To speak with an ombudsman, a person may call the toll-free number 1-800-252-2412.
What areas do you serve?
Pine Ridge Health Care is located in Livingstone, TX, making us centrally located to serve all of East Texas.
Do you offer short-term rehabilitation?
Yes. For patients with less severe injuries who do not need intensive care, outpatient therapy is an option. Outpatient therapy means that you will continue to live at home and visit the therapy clinic for scheduled appointments for the duration of your recovery. This allows you and your practitioner to develop a therapy plan that meets your recovery goals while fitting within your daily schedule. This can be a great option for: minor surgery recoveries, larger surgery recoveries (such as knee replacements) that do not require long-term therapy and care, and help adjusting to progressive movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease or generalized speech challenges.
Do you offer long-term physical, occupational, and speech therapy?
Yes. Pine Ridge offers inpatient rehabilitation services to patients in need of long-term therapy. Certain physical and neurological recoveries require more intensive, long-term rehabilitation and around-the-clock care, which involves temporarily or permanently moving into a rehabilitation facility. This is a great option for orthopedic surgery recovery, neurological surgery recovery, cardiopulmonary surgery recovery, complex medical complications or generalized weakness & difficulty with daily living.
What kinds of nursing & medical services do you offer?
- 24/7 nursing care
- Respiratory care
- Post-surgical care
- Assistance with daily living activities (dressing, bathing, grooming, etc.)
- Personalized care for residents' special needs
- Medication management
- Physical activities
- Computerized ambulatory drug delivery (CADD) infusion pump
- Main Management
- Managed peripherally inserted central lines (PICC)
- Surgical drains
- Total/partial parenteral nutrition (TPN/PPN)
- V.A.C. therapy for wounds
How will I pay for long-term care?
We accept private pay, long-term care insurance, as well as most medical insurances, including Medicare and Medicaid. You can read more about your options on our Payments page.
Do you accept Medicare?
Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people over 65 and certain disabled people under 65. It is not a long-term care program. Rather, Medicare covers only those nursing facility services rendered to help a beneficiary recover from an acute illness or injury. Medicare is administered by the federal government's Center for Medicare and Medicaid and is divided into two parts: Hospital Insurance (Part A) and Medical Insurance (Part B).
How do I apply for Medicare?
Contact your Social Security office to find out if you are automatically covered for Part A because of credits for the number of quarters worked in your lifetime. Also, if you are interested in signing up for Medicare Medical Insurance (Part B), the Social Security office can assist you with that process as well. Keep in mind, you can only sign up for the insurance in the first three months of the calendar year.
How are payments made?
Payments are made to providers through private insurance companies with which the government contracts or through HMOs that have risk contracts with Medicare. Eligibility -- Nursing facility coverage falls under "Part A" of Medicare and is very limited. Medicare pays up to a total of 100 days of care in a skilled nursing facility (SNF).
Medicare will cover 100 percent of the first 20 days in a SNF; for days 21-100, the individual must make a daily coinsurance payment.
You can read more on our Payments page.
