Washington, D.C. – November 2020 – Martin Luther Campus is among the 21% of U.S. skilled nursing facilities that have been recognized as a Best Nursing Home for 2020-21 by U.S. News & World Report.
 
The home earned Best Nursing Homes status by achieving a rating of “High Performing,” the highest possible rating, for both Short-Term Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care. U.S. News gives the designation of Best Nursing Home only to those homes that satisfy U.S. News’s assessment of the appropriate use of key services and consistent performance in quality measures.
 
“We are so proud to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report again this year,” said Kenzie Christopher, Martin Luther Campus Administrator. “This recognition is a testament to the exceptional care our staff provides to residents on a daily basis. A national honor like this is wonderful in any year, but particularly affirming amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
 
Now in its 11th year, the U.S. News Best Nursing Homes ratings and profiles offer comprehensive information about care, safety, health inspections, staffing and more for nearly all of the nation’s 15,000-plus nursing homes. The Best Nursing Homes ratings reflect U.S. News’ exclusive analysis of publicly available data using a methodology defined by U.S. News that evaluates factors that it has determined most greatly impact patient and resident care, safety, and outcomes. This year, to accompany the new ratings, nursing home profile pages were updated to include a patient safety summary that reflects COVID-19 data alongside other measurements of safety and related advice on choosing a home or facility amidst the pandemic.
 
“U.S. News strives to provide access to information that allows consumers to make educated decisions on all types of care,” said Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News. “Updating the profiles to include a patient safety summary that highlights COVID-19 data paired with other measures of care arms families, caregivers and patients with the information needed to make a decision that keeps safety at the highest priority.” 
 
The Best Nursing Home finder features ratings on both long-term and short-term care. The Long-Term Care Rating aims to provide prospective residents who need help with daily activities, and their families, with analysis and information regarding the quality of care provided by nursing homes. The rating includes data on staffing, success in preventing ER visits and pneumonia vaccination rates, among other metrics. The short-term rating incorporates measures of quality including consistency of registered nurse staffing, use of antipsychotic drugs and success in preventing falls. Click here to read the full report. 
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Martin Luther Campus is a part of Ebenezer, the largest family of Senior Care communities in Minnesota. Ebenezer is the senior housing division of Fairview Health Services with 100 years of experience serving older adults, and helping their lives be more independent, healthful, meaningful, and secure. Through quality care options for assisted living, transitional care, long-term care, and memory care, Martin Luther Campus is able to meet the needs of residents today and into the future. Martin Luther Campus prides itself in focusing on the whole person with continued learning and innovation as a response to the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of residents.
 
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A digital news and information company focused on Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars and News USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

If your aging parent or a loved one has been living independently and enjoying an active lifestyle, they might not be willing to admit that their mental and/or physical abilities are not what they used to be.

Not wanting to be a burden, they may be hesitant to reach out for assistance — that’s why it is important to know when it’s time to offer help.

Signs that indicate your loved one may need help include:

• Losing weight, having no appetite and missing meals. Take note of what’s in their fridge and what they are eating.
• Exhibiting signs of poor hygiene. Take note if regular habits like bathing, brushing teeth, trimming nails or combing their hair have changed or stopped. 
• Failing to take essential medications or unwillingness to get medical treatment for illness.
• Wearing clothing that’s inappropriate for the weather.
• Feeling confused, forgetting to pay bills or renew prescriptions, missing scheduled appointments.
• Ignoring or unable to perform household duties.
• Avoiding activities they once enjoyed, such as meeting with friends or going to religious services.

Unless the situation is critical, experts recommend involving your parent or loved one as much as possible in the decision-making process when planning for care. This can help ease their fears of losing control, and it shows that you have their best interests at heart.

Taking on Caregiving Responsibilities
Becoming a family caregiver is one of the most rewarding and stressful jobs you’ll undertake. Because you’re likely juggling many responsibilities, taking care of your physical health and emotional well-being are key to avoid caregiver stress. According to the American Psychological Association, caregiving strain is often more significant when caregivers don’t have enough resources (information, skills, social support, respite and community services) and feel overwhelmed.

Being aware of caregiver stress can help you take action. Signs and symptoms include:

• Having problems sleeping and concentrating.
• Experiencing new or deteriorating health conditions.
• Eating, drinking or smoking more than you have in the past.
• Neglecting your own needs and responsibilities.
• Feeling exhausted, rundown or resentful of your loved one.

Navigating family caregiving tasks
There’s no reason to feel like you have to go it alone. Asking for help with caregiving responsibilities can help you avoid caregiver stress.
Family members and friends are often ready and willing to help, but they may be unaware of your feelings or how they can help. Starting the conversation and sharing information can help everyone understand the situation and feel involved.

Be specific about the type of help you need and make a list of important tasks. Look for ways to divide caregiving responsibilities, such as running errands or buying groceries; managing bills and other financial duties; taking care of your loved one’s medications and doctor appointments; or researching additional resources for support.

If you or a loved one needs support navigating senior living option or is seeking tools and resources available in the community, do not hesitate to call the Martin Luther Campus. We are glad to share community resources, support groups, adult day program options and conversation to support you.

Contact Amy today at 952-948-5167 or [email protected]