Aston Park Health Care Center Inc

TO PROVIDE A CLEAN, SAFE, CARING, RESPECTFUL ENVIRONMENT FOR LONG TERM CARE RESIDENTS.

1. ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING COMMUNITY BENEFITASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE A CLEAN, SAFE, CARING, RESPECTFUL ENVIRONMENT AND A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL STAFF THAT ENSURES THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF LIFE WITH DIGNITY FOR ITS RESIDENTS. WE SUPPORT FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS IN ATTAINING THAT GOAL AND ADHERE TO STATE AND FEDERAL GUIDELINES. ASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER, INC. WAS ORGANIZED FROM THE ASTON PARK HOSPITAL, WHICH CLOSED OPERATIONS IN 1975. AT THAT TIME, THE ASTON PARK HOSPITAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS FELT THAT THEY COULD BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WITH A SKILLED AND INTERMEDIATE NURSING FACILITY, WHICH THEY ORGANIZED AND OPENED AS ASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER, INC. IN 1980. THE 501(C)3 STATUS WAS CARRIED OVER FROM THE HOSPITAL TO THE NURSING FACILITY.ASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT IS NOT BACKED BY ANY AFFILIATION, RELIGIOUS OR OTHERWISE. ASTON PARK IS FULLY SELF-SUSTAINED. ASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER, INC. HAS SERVED THE SENIOR COMMUNITY WITH REPUTABLE SERVICE FOR OVER 40 YEARS.THERE ARE MANY SENIORS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT DO NOT HAVE RESOURCES TO PAY FOR INSTITUTIONAL CARE. AS IN THE PAST, ASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER WILL NOT DISCRIMINATE BASED ON RACE OR PAYER SOURCE. 2. ORGANIZATIONAL DESCRIPTION FOR TAX EXEMPTIONMEDICAID IS THE PAYER SOURCE FOR AN AVERAGE OF 70% OF THE RESIDENTS AT ASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER. MANY NURSING FACILITIES ARE LIMITING THE NUMBER OF MEDICAID PATIENTS THAT THEY ARE ADMITTING BECAUSE OF THE REIMBURSEMENT CUTS WITH STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING. FACILITIES LIKE ASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER ARE NEEDED TO SERVE THE MEDICAL NEEDS OF OUR AGING POPULATION WHEN THEY NO LONGER HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES. ASTON PARK IS NOT DRIVEN BY REVENUE BUT BY THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS WE SERVE. BEING THAT MORE THAN HALF OF OUR RESIDENT POPULATION IS MEDICAID AND THE COST TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES WE OFFER ARE MORE THAN THE REIMBURSEMENT THAT IS RECEIVED FROM THE MEDICAID PROGRAM, WE INCUR A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF UNREIMBURSABLE EXPENSES THAT HAVE TO BE ABSORBED BY THE FACILITY. THIS RESULTED IN $56,323.10 IN NONBILLABLE ANCILLARIES FOR MEDICAID RESIDENTS THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR. ASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER ALSO ACCEPTS PAYMENTS FROM MEDICARE, TRICARE AND PRIVATE INSURANCE COMPANIES WITH LONG TERM CARE POLICIES. WE DO NOT REQUIRE INDIVIDUALS TO PROVE AVAILABLE ASSETS TO US BEFORE ADMISSION. THEREFORE, WE HAVE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS WHO DEPEND ON MEDICAID TO FUND THEIR STAY HERE. THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENT OF THE US POPULATION, AS A WHOLE, IS CURRENTLY THE GROUP AGED 85 AND OLDER. THIS MEANS THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A GROWING NEED FOR INSTITUTIONAL CARE. WE FEEL THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS ARE ENTITLED TO THE SAME QUALITY OF CARE AND SERVICES DESPITE THEIR ABILITY TO PAY.ASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER, INC. HAS A BOARD OF 12 DIRECTORS WHO MEET AT LEAST MONTHLY (MORE OFTEN IF NEEDED) TO REVIEW THE FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE COMPANY. AT THIS TIME, THEY ARE ALSO INFORMED OF OTHER HAPPENINGS IN THE FACILITY THAT THEY NEED TO BE AWARE OF. THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE INDEPENDENT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WITH NO RELATED PARTY INTEREST IN ASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER. THERE ARE VARIOUS COMMITTEES THAT MAKE THE MAJOR DECISIONS FOR THE FACILITY. THE FACILITY ADMINISTRATOR TAKES CARE OF THE DAY-TO-DAY DECISIONS.THE FACILITY ENCOURAGES AND REQUIRES TRAINING OF ALL STAFF MEMBERS. AN ORIENTATION IS COMPLETED ON ALL STAFF MEMBERS TO ACCLIMATE THEM TO THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OF THE FACILITY. THE NURSING STAFF IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND IN-SERVICES AND TRAINING ON THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE JOBS THAT THEY PERFORM WITH THE RESIDENTS. THERE IS ALSO IN-SERVICE TRAINING FOR ALL OTHER STAFF MEMBERS REGARDING SAFETY, FIRE, ETC.ASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER IS A CLINICAL SITE FOR THE AB TECHNICAL COLLEGE, WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY, LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS ALLIED PROGRAMS, HAYWOOD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE RN PROGRAM AND EAST TENNESSEE UNIVERSITY REGISTERED DIETICIAN INTERNSHIP.3. DESCRIPTION OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS PROGRAMSTHE SERVICES OFFERED BY ASTON PARK HEALTH CARE CENTER ARE SHORT-TERM REHAB, ASSISTED LIVING, SKILLED NURSING AND ALZHEIMER'S CARE. WE HAVE ONE OF THE VERY FEW MEDICAID CERTIFIED ALZHEIMER'S SPECIAL CARE UNITS IN OUR AREA.OUR SHORT TERM REHAB UNIT IS UTILIZED MAINLY FOR PEOPLE REQUIRING THERAPY AFTER SURGERY TO HELP THEM RETURN TO THEIR OWN HOMES. THESE ARE USUALLY PEOPLE WHO LIVE ALONE OR HAVE SPOUSES THAT CANNOT CARE FOR THEM AFTER THEIR SURGERIES. THIS ALLOWS THEM TIME TO REGAIN STRENGTH AND AMBULATION TO HOPEFULLY MAINTAIN THE SAME QUALITY OF LIFE THEY HAD BEFORE THE SURGERY. OUR GOAL WITH THESE PEOPLE IS TO HELP THEM RETURN TO AS NORMAL A LIFE AS POSSIBLE.THE ALZHEIMER'S UNIT THAT WE HAVE HAS 32 BEDS. THIS UNIT WAS DESIGNED TO ALLOW THEM FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT SINCE ALL OF THE RESIDENTS ON THIS UNIT ARE AMBULATORY AND TEND TO WANDER. THE UNIT WAS ALSO DESIGNED TO CREATE A SAFER AND HOME-LIKE ENVIRONMENT FOR THESE RESIDENTS. ALZHEIMER'S IS A DISEASE OF THE MIND AND THESE RESIDENTS STRUGGLE TO REMEMBER THINGS FROM THEIR PAST; THEREFORE, THERE ARE MEMORY BOXES OUTSIDE OF EACH RESIDENT'S ROOM THAT FAMILY MEMBERS CAN PUT OBJECTS THAT ENCOURAGE THEM TO REMEMBER. ALZHEIMER'S PATIENTS CAN BECOME DIFFICULT FOR FAMILIES TO TAKE CARE OF AT HOME DUE TO THEIR TENDENCY TO WANDER AND THEIR FORGETFULNESS. THIS UNIT CONSISTENTLY STAYS FULL AND ALSO FILLS A GREAT NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.ASTON PARK HOSTS AN ALZHEIMER'S MEETING EACH MONTH AT THE FACILITY. THIS IS FOR ANY FAMILY THAT WANTS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT ALZHEIMER'S OR THOSE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS WITH THE DISEASE THAT NEED SUPPORT FROM OTHERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME SITUATION. THIS IS OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND NOT JUST THOSE WITH RESIDENTS AT OUR FACILITY. WE ALSO ARE SPONSORS FOR THE ALZHEIMER'S WALK EACH YEAR.WE HAVE ALSO MADE DONATIONS TO SUPPORT MEALS ON WHEELS AND ASHEVILLE FOP.