Tolstoy Foundation Rehabilitation & Nursing Center sits in the hillside of Valley Cottage in Rockland County, known for its quiet setting and nicely kept grounds with fruit trees, flowers, and shrubs, and the interesting thing about the place is all the resident rooms are on the ground level, which is rare for a nursing home, and those rooms are bright and spacious with views looking out at the landscape, which really does help the homelike feel people notice soon after moving in, and they put a lot of focus on making things homey and respectful for everyone there, trying to balance both care and independence for each resident as best as possible. The center offers both short-term rehab and long-term skilled nursing care, so they handle those needing to recover after being in the hospital and those staying for a longer time due to ongoing needs, and they've got a good-sized staff of registered professionals and different kinds of therapists who work together-physical, occupational, speech, recreational therapy, plus nurses, a Dietitian, and folks heading up social services and rehab, all coordinated by directors who keep things organized.
Special services they provide cover wound care, dialysis, hospice care, stroke recovery, amputee recovery, IV antibiotics, cardiac and respiratory therapy, nutritional counseling, pain management, and tracheotomy care, along with regular nursing and personal care, and for those with cultural ties, Tolstoy Foundation has a history of serving Russian and Slavic-speaking people, though others are welcome too. The building's unique since the dining area and offices are in a two-story part while the rest's kept to the ground floor for ease of access, and they aim for a safe, clean, and friendly environment where people's social, spiritual, and cultural needs matter as much as their health, with activities like concerts, arts and crafts, poetry readings, movies, exercise classes, gardening, games, and field trips. Hospice services are available for those nearing end of life, and palliative care's also offered for comfort. Their high pneumonia vaccination rate among residents shows they keep up on preventive health measures, and there's a family council so loved ones can stay informed and involved, though there's not currently a resident council. Their board of directors volunteers their time, carrying on the mission started by Alexandra Tolstoy and Tatiana Schaufuss, and the place runs as a certified nonprofit, so finances and policies are filed and public, and management tries to keep care at reasonable, cost-effective rates without cutting corners. They use an interdisciplinary approach, meaning nurses, doctors, therapists, and staff from different areas all talk to each other about each resident's care, working towards personal goals as much as possible, adjusting help as needs change, and supporting people in staying as independent as their health allows.
Tolstoy Foundation Rehabilitation & Nursing Center runs about 96 beds and gets a fair mix of reviews, with an average rating of 3.6 out of 12 comments online, and while there's always some room for improvement, folks tend to notice the caring environment and the grounds, along with the sense of community and attention to different languages and cultures. Post-acute programs, like cardiopulmonary rehab for those recovering from heart and lung issues, have been expanding, and support is available for families, too, with guidance for long-term care decisions and insurance questions. The overall goal is to give each resident a respectful, caring place to live, somewhere that pays attention not just to medical needs but to the whole person.
