has anyone heard of the term", "campus of care"?

Stitchie · Mar 21, 2005

My grandmother was in a "campus of care" in Phoenix, AZ. Basically it appeared to be progressive care. While not the newest facility, it was clean, the residents appeared well cared for and happy. The staff really took an interest in my Grandmother, which was very comforting, since her family was either in the Midwest (IL, OH), crazy (my father's wife, total nutball, long story) or deceased, as my father was. When the time came for hospice care, the staff took the time to answer my questions and accomodate me as much as possible. It was, all in all, a good experience.

When I applied for guardianship of my grandmother the social worker and staff worked very very hard to make sure that I got all the necessary information to make a successful case. The staff really went out of their way to bring my grandmother treats (she loved chocolate and good coffee) sometimes paying for it out of their own pocket.

I hope this helps. It gave my grandmother, who had advanced dementia, a really good sendoff. Sometimes it's the best we're able to do for our elderly folks!

I think the staff in places such as this are a special breed. I know I could not do it, but I am eternally grateful that they were able to.

lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN · Mar 21, 2005

The facility I work for is owned by a company that has several facilites from assisted living to locked dementia units. They call it their "Campus of Care." Although I'm fairly certain that since I'm in northwestern AZ, the owners probably heard of the one in Phoenix and "borrowed" the phrase.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Mar 21, 2005

In my neck of the woods, they're called 'continuing-care retirement communities' and feature arrangements all along the care continuum: there are independent apartments, a living arrangement where everyone has private rooms but lives in a communal fashion, an assisted-living facility, a secured Alzheimer's unit, and a nursing home.

My husband turns 55 next year.....hard to believe we'll be eligible to live in such a place eleven months from now! :uhoh21: (Of course, we've got at least 4 more years of active parenting to do, then we want to travel for a while, and maybe THEN we'll move into the one here in town, which is owned by the Mennonite Church and has an excellent reputation.) I think these places are wonderful if they're managed well, because they permit people to 'age in place', and if a couple end up separated because one has heavier care needs than the other, they're at least close enough to see each other every day. :)

nursegoodlove · Apr 5, 2005

Many thanks to all who have replied and help clear the confusion with re: to the definition of "campus of care". :)

Candidnt · Apr 6, 2005

nursing and health care in general is always full of buzz words/phrases. I can't say I have heard of this particular one in my practice/experience.

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Apr 6, 2005

Oh yeah, we had some new managment guy come in and suggest this in our facility, and it was met with serious upset and threats from the Nursing staff!

We are assisted living, which caregivers do all direct care and med pass. The name would imply that our patients get nursing care 24/7 with a nurse, which is not so. There is one nurse for the facility who does home triage and some wound care, insulin/cbg testing..and such.

We felt that this "campus of care" was better suited in a learning hospital setting and not an assisted living facility where CNA's/unlicensed caregivers do most of the work. It also gives the inclination that it is a 'teaching' facility by using the word 'campus' which we absolutely hated with every part of our soal~! Us nurses are not students...most have been nursing for over 40 years, and the majority of our caregivers have been CNA's for over 15! No, not a learning facility...and established assisted living facility!

We voted it out, and he still tried to have us call it this...then, once he got all the complaints from residents (who also hated feeling like it was a teaching establishment and they were the guinea pigs!) he was fired for not listening to the residents and staff! (personally I didn't think my facility wanted to waste money on new signs...LOL!!!!!!).

I think the name gives a false sence all together, and should not be used for anything other than a teaching facility. (heck, people don't even get the differencese of a assisted living facility!).

Plus heck, you can take a piece of concrete and put lovely frosting on it and call it a scruptious cake, but it is still a piece of concrete! Why not just call things as they are???