Good Shepherd Nursing Home

Good Shepherd Nursing Home in Wheeling, West Virginia, is a large, church-related, non-profit facility offering a wide range of care for seniors, and while it's called a nursing home, there's more here than beds and wheelchairs because you've got everything from truly independent apartments for folks over 55, like the Clara Welty & Bertha Welty Apartments, Braddock Apartments, and Welty TownHomes, who live on their own and don't need help, all the way to rooms for people needing round-the-clock nursing care-so you see the whole Welty family continuum of care under one umbrella, and they handle independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care for those with dementia or Alzheimer's. There's a focus on outstanding care with nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, social workers, therapists, and care staff on site 24 hours, so whether someone needs help with bathing, dressing, medications, wound care, or more intensive nursing, someone's around, and there's registered staff for therapy too, covering physical, occupational, and speech therapy five days a week with both inpatient and outpatient services, plus special therapies for mental health, rehabilitation, swallowing issues, and more if it's needed. The staff keep the building clean, and the rooms come either private or semi-private with restrooms and heating and air conditioning, adding a little comfort, and the place doesn't forget human dignity either, because you can bring some favorite clothes, décor, and your own personal care items, though you shouldn't lug in valuables or big heavy things since it's easy to lose or damage something in a busy place. The dining services are thoughtful-chefs and dietitians work together for meals made to fit each resident's needs or preferences, with fresh meals and nutritious ingredients, and it always smells good near the kitchen; plus, there's a full-time dietitian and trained food service teams. There are plenty of recreational activities, arts and crafts, programs for education, movies, outings, games, courtyard socials, candlelight dinners, and daily events such as bingo, painting, and exercise-plus, you'll find birthday parties, festive celebration dinners, religious services, and other gatherings in a lively activities room that families can also reserve for private celebrations. They've got a regular schedule of Protestant worship with local ministers, daily Mass in a large chapel, a chaplain, and special quarterly anointing of the sick for residents wanting spiritual care, and pet visits are allowed as long as the animal has up-to-date shots and sticks to the activities room. There's pharmacy services from WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital and even transportation vans, so getting to appointments or events isn't a hassle, and for health and safety, they have handicap accessibility, fire sprinklers, and security features throughout the property. The community is well-kept, with well-groomed courtyards and gardens, and there are extras like WiFi, a salon/barbershop, guest parking, and laundry facilities, and rooms have things like kitchenettes, cable TV, washers and dryers, and regular housekeeping. Social workers pay close attention to resident welfare and coordinate with nurses for care plans and new move-ins; they run assessments for each person, tailoring support-so if help with bathing, dressing, or medication is needed, they'll set it up, and if someone can be mostly independent, the services scale back. The facility provides skilled and long-term care, rehabilitation, wound care, podiatry, occupational therapy, mental health services, nutritional counseling, pharmacy care, and more specialized services as needed, plus wheelchair-accessible vans for transportation. For over a decade, Good Shepherd Nursing Home has maintained a five-star rating from the federal government, an A+ in inspections, and top quality ratings in long-term, short-term, and nurse quality areas, which is something they're proud of-along with West Virginia's only SHARP Award from OSHA for safe and healthy workplaces-and they do accept both Medicare and Medicaid. Folks have voted Good Shepherd "Best Nursing Home" in the Ohio Valley, and even though there's no Resident Council or Family Council, the continued top ratings and happy residents carry some weight. You can bring some familiar items from home, like photos and small electronics, but it's better to leave irreplaceable things behind because moving is always a little unpredictable. For those living on the property, there are lots of opportunities for social events, organized trips out to malls, parks, sports, or holiday lights, knitting and crocheting circles, books and magazines, and even regular entertainment. Nursing care comes at all times, so if an emergency arises, someone's right there, and because the staff put dignity at the forefront and work as a team, care feels personal, and residents aren't just a number rolling through the system. While it isn't a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) and there isn't a formal Resident or Family Council, people looking for different levels of care in one spot, a faith-based focus, high cleanliness standards, daily activities, and a careful approach to nutrition and health can find something suitable here.