Michael Schroeder, The Journal Gazette
mschroeder@jg.net
When she fell in October, Dee Hedrick broke her right femur in three places.
The 80-year-old went from assisted living to having others bathe and clothe her at the Heritage of Huntington's 60-bed health care unit. Staff at the nursing home tended to her every need, Hedrick said.
"They practically did everything but feed me," she said, perched at a table in the Huntington nursing home's common area. "Everything I needed, they were right there."
Residents and staff say the quality and quantity of well-trained nurses and nurse aides makes all the difference for patient care and worker morale. For three years running, the Heritage of Huntington has had zero deficiencies in the state's annual survey, a thorough inspection process that evaluates factors, including residents' rights, quality of life and infection control.
The nursing home has no vacancies currently, its administrator said.
But elsewhere, staff at Indiana's nursing homes are often stretched thin, taxing medical staff and leaving residents vulnerable.