West Ridge Care Center sits in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as a single, privately owned facility offering several levels of care like skilled nursing, long-term care, assisted living, respite care, home health, and hospice, so folks can stay as their needs change, and you'll see they've got 52 private rooms each with Wi-Fi and flat screen TV, plus cable or satellite options, and each room can include a kitchen, a washer and dryer, and different floor plan choices to fit what someone's used to. Residents enjoy room service or a restaurant-style dining room, where breakfast's made-to-order with flexible times, and lunch and dinner come with choices for entrée, sides, and seasonal menus prepared on a four-week cycle by the Dietary team, so everyone gets nutritious and good-tasting food, and if you want pancakes, waffles, or eggs anyhow you like, you just have to ask during breakfast.
Housekeeping keeps rooms clean every day, and laundry gets returned the next day, which helps residents stay comfortable, and laundry and housekeeping come included in every stay, big or small. Spontaneous activities pop up all the time, sometimes with animals visiting or plants and greenery all around, so there's always something lively, and you'll see planned activities too, like music, exercise, games, religious programs, and community outings, all on a calendar so everyone knows what's going on, and family members can join in sometimes. The center runs on a philosophy called the Eden Alternative, which means they try to make it feel like home and prevent loneliness, helplessness, and boredom by welcoming animals, plants, and visitors into daily life, and this approach makes it the only Eden Alternative registered facility in Cedar Rapids.
West Ridge Care Center works with local hospice programs so anyone needing end-of-life support gets placement smoothly, and they have several care specialties: skilled nursing, long-term care, hospice, at-home care, and rehabilitation, and that's made possible by 24-hour nursing from registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants, plus physical, occupational, and speech therapy teams who design goal-focused programs to help elders regain abilities after illness or injury and sometimes get back home sooner. There's a Director of Nursing, MDS Coordinator, and a nursing staff working together to keep everyone at their best level, and you'll find a full-time rehab aide on each floor as well as a Social Services advocate who talks with families and hospital planners and helps with support and counseling if someone needs it.
For skin care, the Interdisciplinary Wound Care Team checks residents every week to make sure skin stays healthy, and after someone finishes therapy, the Rehab Aide continues exercise help so no one loses progress. The West Ridge team has infection control training, and 75% of the staff completed extra prevention and control lessons, and the facility won the Telligen Blue Ribbon for COVID-19 vigilance and got recognition for emergency plans. All employees must be vaccinated, and the facility offers training placements for nursing students and high schoolers in health careers. West Ridge is part of the Iowa Health Care Association and Iowa Center for Assisted Living network, and they follow the Eden Philosophy's idea to turn elder care into welcoming places that focus on each person's comfort, dignity, and quality of life.
You can take a virtual tour online and see private rooms, dining rooms, and gathering spots with lots of natural touches. West Ridge Care Center opens every day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., gives residents daily activities, has policies for family visits, and shares updates through their website. They're committed to helping everyone feel welcome through their "Community of Care" and work to give honest, individualized support without making anyone feel out of place or rushed, and that's pretty much what you'll find if you visit.
