FAQ

A comprehensive home care license and a board and lodging license.

Prairie Senior Cottages makes every attempt to keep a resident for the rest of their lives if at all possible. While we are not a skilled nursing facility, we do have a comprehensive home care license. We also make use of outside services, such as home health nurses and hospice. Our registered nurses train all staff within the scope of our license to properly care for our residents and know when to call the RN with questions or concerns.

Though no building can be considered 100% secure, at Prairie Senior Cottages we make all attempts to make our buildings as secure as possible without affecting the dignity of the residents. The entrance/exit doors use a key fob system. Each family member and all employees are provided a key card with a unique number coded into our computer systems. Each time the doors are opened or closed with key cards, we can see who was using that door. Alarms sound to alert staff if residents press on door push bars and won’t stop until either it is reset or the door opens because of fire codes. Front entrance gates have mechanisms to make them a little more complicated than an average gate in case a resident does get that far, which is rare. Resident rooms have security alarms on their windows, with an alarm panel in the office displaying which room’s window was opened. Most of our buildings also have multi-screen video cameras recording at all times. Doors leading to the enclosed outside areas have special alarms to let staff know if someone is going outside; these doors are open except during certain circumstances such as poor weather conditions. Staff is trained on keeping the building secure during their initial orientation and ongoing.

Most long term care insurance policy coverage does include the license held Prairie Senior Cottages. There are many ways policies may differ, including waiting periods, the amount they pay per day, length of years they pay, etc. It all depends on what was originally purchased. Some policies from the 1980s and early 90s may not include it because of the way health care has changed over the years to prevent people from being admitted to skilled nursing facilities when they don’t need them.

Prairie Senior Cottages specializes in the care of those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other types of memory loss. Alzheimer’s is the best known of form of dementia, but there are other kinds, such as Lewy Body dementia and vascular dementia. Staff training, the layout of the building, various services, activities, and more are geared around our specialty, dementia. Our buildings and resident capacity is smaller than most assisted living residences since large spaces and crowds can be anxiety producing for those affected by dementia.

To add to the home-like feeling of the cottages, furniture brought from home is certainly welcome, along with favorite quilts, pillows, wall décor, etc. However, if you prefer, beds and dressers are provided for residents.

There are no restrictions on visiting hours. If you are going to come between 10 pm and 6 am, please call first so staff knows you are coming and is aware of who is coming in the building so they aren’t startled.

Yes, we do. It depends on your personal preference. Sometimes families prefer to take loved ones to appointments to hear what the doctor has to say and ask specific questions. Other times, it may not work out for them, so staff accompanies the resident and can ask any specific questions families may have. Or, it may work best for a family member and a staff member to both go. Since we practice person centered care, there is no specific policy. Instead, it depends on what works best for all and serves the resident best.

Certainly! We welcome you to enjoy our home cooked meals and believe it’s good for our residents. There is no charge for you to eat with your loved one. The kitchen was a busy room that created happy memories in most homes, so ours are made to look as “non-industrial” as possible. A lot of socializing goes on in our kitchens and dining rooms!