Elwood Care Center

Elwood Care Center sits at 607 Smith Ave in Elwood, Nebraska, and it's been open since 1972, so that's over 50 years of caring for people who need help as they age or after an illness, and you find a pretty steady staff there, with between 11 and 50 employees, including well-known folks like CNA/MA Veronica Diaz, long-term care administrator Kate Reiners, and licensed practical nurse Susan Bates, who all work alongside a team that's often praised for being passionate and careful. The place runs 43 certified beds and usually has about 30 people staying on an average day, and it's got a government-city ownership, so policies and rules are pretty clear and public, and no secret deals or private investors pulling on the strings, which some people like to know up front. They handle skilled nursing facility and nursing facility care, so that's help with daily living, medical care, and also things like rehab, with both inpatient and outpatient options, plus respite and hospice care if someone needs more support for a short time or at the end of life, and you won't see any special program names-just basic healthcare, personal care, medication management, a bit of speech, occupational, and physical therapies, some help from a social services director, and recreational therapy when you've got the energy. The building's got personal heating and air conditioning for comfort, laundry services, living rooms where folks can gather, and a beauty salon, along with nursing and healthcare services you'd expect, though you won't find fancy or unusual extras beyond the basics folks ask for. They accept both Medicaid and Medicare, and you won't find a Continuing Care Retirement Community setup, or a Resident or Family Council either, which matters to some families. The center keeps a high vaccination rate for pneumonia-97.5%-which goes a long way in flu season, and they've had no fines or substantiated complaints on care or safety, which stands out, and their nurse staffing and RN coverage often gets ratings around 4.0 stars, with registered staff spending an average of about 4.3 hours a day with each resident, and a good safety record that's led to winning the Top Nursing Home in Nebraska award for three years running, 2019 through 2021, as well as holding A grades most years for both long-term care quality and its historical overall rating. The Elwood Care Center doesn't offer a lot of frills, but the staff seem sure to put effort into helping people live as well as possible, and you can read more about what they do on their website at www.elwoodcarecenter.com.