By William J. Bogdanovich, CNHA
We usually associate "report cards" with our younger folk, MCAS scores and such.
But other activities also are graded now and then and here's one result that should provide comfort to the other side of the generation spectrum-older Cape Codders:and those who are faced with caring for aging relatives.
The state Department of Public Health recently completed a survey that asked over 20,000 family members of current nursing home residents across Massachusetts to rate their loved one's experience. First mandated by the state legislature in 2005, this was the second such state survey of family members' satisfaction.
The families were asked to rate their experience with these skilled nursing facilities in nine difference categories on a one to five basis. Five was the highest, "very satisfactory." Four was "more than satisfied."
I'm not going any lower, because only two Cape Cod facilities of the 20 queried received less than a four in the all-important summary category of "overall satisfaction":and these missed by mere hundredths of a point!
The full report can be accessed on the Department of Public Health website at www.mass.gov/dph and clicking on the Report Card link.
On average, the Cape Cod facilities scored a 4.30 compared to the 4.09 average for 440 facilities statewide.
The charts include such categories as needs met, activities, meals and personal rights. But, in the interests of space I've included one other column:"would you recommend this home for a friend?
In this telling category, the average positive response for Cape facilities was 92.9 percent. Four of the 21 facilities received 100 percent scores from the families and the lowest was a 79.
When it came to a total score, which included an adjustment to factor in patient complaints over a period of time, Cape facilities averaged 122.35 points out of a maximum 132, slightly higher than the state average of 122.
Why should you as a member of the general public care? Because the chances are very high that if you are reading this article you have one or both parents in need of additional care or you have already had a parent experience nursing home care. Or maybe you are facing this stressful process-as stressful on the adult child as the parent-yourself.
Unfortunately, nursing homes too often are viewed with trepidation. There is an unfortunate disconnect between those who have had a direct experience and those who haven't. That disconnect often means that the adult children of an aging and frail elder will hold out as long as possible to keep their parent out of a nursing home. When the wait is too long, it can put the parent in a potentially life threatening situation and create even more stress for the caregivers at home.
The satisfaction numbers relate a story that often isn't told about nursing home care.
That said, it is never too soon to begin exploring your options to find the facility that will be right for whatever circumstance might come your way-whether a pre-op reservation for care after orthopedic surgery or long-term care for a debilitating condition.
So why not check out the state DPH "Report Card" and then visit a few facilities to get a better personal feel? You may be pleasantly surprised.
(Mr. Bogdanovich is Director of Operations for Broad Reach Healthcare at Liberty Commons in North Chatham and a member of the Boards of Directors for both the American College of Health Care Administrators and the Massachusetts Extended Care Federation. He notes that his skilled nursing and rehabilitation center was ranked among the top three percent for referrals in that Commonwealth survey and, by recording 131 of a maximum score of 132 in all categories, ranked No. 1 on the Cape.)
| Facility | Site | Overall Satisfaction | Recommend to a Friend % | Overall Score |
| Bourne Manor Extended Care | Bourne | 4.00 | 84 | 116 |
| Cape Nursing/Rehab Center | Buzzards Bay | 4.57 | 98 | 122 |
| Cape End Manor | Provincetown | 4.06 | 89 | 130 |
| Cape Heritage Radius Healthcare Center | Sandwich | 4.11 | 90 | 125 |
| Cape Regency Radius Healthcare Facility | Centerville | 4.18 | 92 | 126 |
| Eagle Pond Rehab/Living Center | S. Dennis | 4.22 | 91 | 121 |
| Epoch Sr. Healthcare of Brewster | Brewster | 4.54 | 100 | 120 |
| Epoch Sr. Healthcare of Harwich | Harwich | 4.14 | 86 | 123 |
| Forestview Nursing/Rehab Center | Wareham | 3.97 | 84 | 99 |
| Harborside Healthcare-Falmouth Rehab& Nursing Center | Falmouth | 4.20 | 96 | 113 |
| Harborside Healthcare-Mashpee Rehab & Nursing Center | Mashpee | 3.96 | 79 | 123 |
| JML Care Center | Falmouth | 4.64 | 100 | 127 |
| Liberty Commons Nursing/Rehab Center | N. Chatham | 4.72 | 98 | 131* |
| Mayflower Place Nursing Center | W. Yarmouth | 4.40 | 96 | 128 |
| Pleasant Bay Nursing/Rehab Center | Brewster | 4.77 | 100 | 128 |
| Royal Megansett Nursing/Retirement Home | N.Falmouth | 4.50 | 96 | 129 |
| Royal Nursing Center, LLC | Falmouth | 4.19 | 94 | 116 |
| The Pavilion | Hyannis | 4.36 | 100 | 126 |
| The Tremont Rehab & Skilled Care Center | Wareham | 4,25 | 97 | 126 |
| Windsor Nursing & Retirement Home | S. Yarmouth | 4.27 | 88 | 118 |
*indicates top score on Cape
Virtually every skilled nursing facility on the Cape provides Hospice care to its clients and most do so by contracting with one of the region's three agencies that specialize in this service.
Some, however, go further by hiring full-time permanent staff to provide this specialized care.
Liberty Commons, for instance, has a staff of five working under Dr. Allen Ward, Medical Director of its Hospice and Palliative Care Program.
Another, Windsor Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in South Yarmouth, recently became the first skilled nursing center on Cape with a fully certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse permanently on staff.
She's Deborah Matoon, R.N., CHPN, unit manager of Windsor's long-term care wing. According to Administrator Thomas P. Coffey, her presence fills many needs.
The most important may be emotional. She is a familiar face for the patient and the family throughout this most trying end-of-life period. "She makes sure the process doesn't end when the (outside) Hospice nurse leaves," Mr. Coffey points out, "and she makes sure things get carried through."
Ms. Matoon, a native Cape Codder who resides in West Yarmouth, is truly a "familiar face" at Windsor. A Registered Nurse since 1975, she's been at Windsor for 24 years and qualified as a Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse last year. Her Hospice duties include consulting with the regular staff on pain management programs and also helping families deal with the issues of death and dying.
In addition to dealing with those patients identified as needful of Hospice services on arrival, Ms. Matoon also provides many of these similar palliative care skills for other patients with long-term and often multiple medical issues. These can include dealing with the loss of independence as well as pain management.
"I like to stress that Hospice is not about dying, but about living well during your illness or living well while in the process of dying. And also providing emotional support and education about what is going to happen to families," she says of what she considers very rewarding work.
Windsor, Mr. Coffey points out, is one of only four not-for-profit skilled nursing facilities on the Cape. The other three are its sister facility under the Berkshire Healthcare Systems banner, Bourne Manor; JML in Falmouth, which is affiliated with Cape Cod Healthcare; and Cape End Manor in Provincetown, formerly owned by the town, but now being rebuilt under the aegis of New England Deaconess.