Frequently Asked Questions about Supportive Living at Willow Valley Retirement Communities

Below you will find some of the frequently asked questions regarding supportive living care at Willow Valley Retirement Communities. We encourage you to contact Admissions at 717-940-4828 with further questions or to schedule a personalized tour.

What types of Supportive Living care does Willow Valley offer?

Willow Valley offers Personal Care (Assisted Living), Skilled Nursing (short term and long term) and Memory Support.

Personal Care, formerly known as Assisted Living, is for Residents who can live independently, but require some assistance with one or more activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing or taking medications. The Nursing Team consists of Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Resident Care Assistants (RCAs). LPNs are available for health monitoring and medication administration. RCAs assist with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing or grooming. 

Skilled Care is for Residents who require continuous assistance with activities of daily living due to a medical condition, or those who need rehabilitation therapy. The Nursing Team in Skilled Care is led by Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs). LPNs are responsible for medication administration and providing treatments. CNAs are direct caregivers and provide assistance with bathing, dressing and other activities of daily living. 

Memory Support is for Residents with a cogitative impairment such as dementia. We offer Personal Care for Residents with early stages of dementia or related disease and Skilled Care for Residents in the more advanced stages of dementia or related disease. The safe, secure environment provides a structured daily schedule that encourages Residents to maintain functional skills and maximize their ability to perform activities of daily life. All Team Members who work in Memory Support receive specialized education on dementia care.

What types of therapy does Willow Valley offer?

Willow Valley has an in-house therapy department that provides physical, occupational and speech therapy. Physical Therapy is designed to improve a Resident’s mobility skills by providing training in areas such as bed mobility, transfers or gait with or without an assistive device. Our Physical Therapy team consists of Physical Therapists and licensed Physical Therapy Assistants. Occupational Therapy is designed to help Residents with activities of daily living such as dressing, grooming and other in-home activities.  Our team also addresses issues with strength, joint range of motion, muscle tone, sensory and perceptual awareness or cognitive function. Our team consists of Occupational Therapists who complete evaluations and develop treatment plans of care and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants who carry out the plans of care. Speech Therapy is designed to meet the needs of Residents with speech, language, hearing, cognitive and swallowing disorders. Our licensed Speech-language Pathologist provides evaluation and treatment programs for the Residents.

Will my Primary Care Physician follow me during my stay?

Willow Valley has credentialing requirements for attending physicians; therefore any physician following Residents at Willow Valley must be credentialed. If your Primary Care Physician is not credentialed at Willow Valley, you can ask him/her if they would follow your loved one and go through the credentialing process. Otherwise, our Admissions Coordinator will help assist you in locating a physician.

Will my stay be covered by Medicare and what does it cover?

If you are admitted to Skilled Care, and meet the criteria for Medicare A (minimum of three consecutive overnights in the hospital, and have the need for physical, occupational, or speech therapy, IV therapy or other skilled services), you have up to 100 days of coverage as long as Medicare qualifications continue to be met. Days 1-20 are covered 100% but days 21-100 have a mandatory co-pay. If the Resident’s secondary insurance does not cover all or part of the co-pay, the Resident is responsible for that amount. Medicare will only cover the cost of a semi-private room (unless it is medically necessary to have a private room).

Does Willow Valley accept Medicaid or SSI Supplement?

Willow Valley does not accept Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

Are meals included with my stay?

If you are staying under your Medicare A benefits, or are privately paying for your stay, three meals are included daily. A Registered Dietician will assist in planning meals in accordance with physician orders.

Is cable and telephone included with my stay?

Cable and telephone services are available, but there is an additional fee for each. Many rooms in Skilled Care are equipped with a telephone and television; however the Resident would be responsible for the monthly service fee. Residents do need to provide the telephone and television in Personal Care and some rooms in Skilled Care. Please check with the Admissions Coordinator to see if you must provide your own telephone and television.