Litzenberg Memorial County Hospital has served people in Central City, Nebraska since 1959, and the facility's long-term care section, called Litzenberg Long Term Care, offers 46 licensed beds, with some private rooms and some shared double rooms, and you can expect to see an average of about 29 or 30 residents on a normal day, which gives the place a steady feel but not so crowded you can't get what you need. Staff focus on helping folks keep their dignity and independence, and they've got a mix of assisted living and nursing home care, which means some people need more help and some less, and there's a separate Central Townhouse memory care unit for Medicaid recipients if someone needs support for dementia or similar needs. The Good Samaritan Society runs the long-term care piece, and they say they want to give a "fulfilling lifestyle," but more specifically, they do have regular nurse staffing-nearly 4 hours per resident per day from all nurses, with about 0.7 hours of that from RNs, and lower but present RN staffing on weekends-plus a staffing rating and a quality measures rating both at 4.0 stars, though health inspections rate the place at 3.0 stars, with a weighted survey score around 32.7, and while the facility's gotten $3,250.00 in fines over time, there's no record of serious complaints about safety or care.
Residents eat nutritious meals and have snacks during activities, and the dining program lets people pick their breakfast time, have trays to their rooms if they don't feel like coming out, or share meals with family in the dining room, and that's nice for folks who want flexibility. The Activities Department plans music programs, games, group reminiscing, cards, Bible study, mass, and non-denominational services along with other gatherings, and sometimes they organize outings for picnics, shopping, meals out, horse races, even crane watching, and theater visits, and there are rides for folks who want to join community clubs or attend meetings outside the facility, with a transport van that fits wheelchairs. Regular physician visits, help with wound care, restorative services like range-of-motion exercises, and physical, occupational, and speech therapy-mainly through Aegis Therapy-are all on hand, and nurses are there around the clock, with licensed staff and a certified resident assessment coordinator watching over care plans. They also provide Lifeline emergency response, laundry, housekeeping, mail services, cable TV, free Wi-Fi, and beauty shop services, so residents can get their hair done right there. Safety systems include fire alarms, sprinklers, security alarms, and whirlpool tubs with staff help for bathing.
Social work support is available along with nutrition counseling from a registered dietitian, and hospice contracts mean support at the end of life is available when needed. Residents have their own council and a community newsletter, and the place welcomes clubs and outside organizations to come in and hold meetings or programs. Living arrangements vary, with private or semiprivate options, walkers and wheelchairs in each room as needed, and residents can eat in-room or restaurant-style. The Medical Director reviews care quality, and the interdisciplinary team works together for care planning. Central Townhouse, their memory care unit, has supports built in for Medicaid recipients, which is something not every facility offers. Services fall under Medicare and Medicaid, and the facility connects to the larger Nebraska Health Care Association and an alternate office in Lincoln. There's a thrift shop for residents or visitors, and patient and visitor information is easy to find with resources and a map. Overall, the approach at Litzenberg Memorial County Hospital seems steady and organized, with an aim to cover medical, social, spiritual, and daily living needs while giving people a mix of care types in a single place.
