Larkspur

Larkspur sits over in Lufkin, Texas, and folks will notice right away that the place feels a bit like a woodsy lodge, with tall pines outside, local wildlife and farm art on the walls, some cheerful courtyards, a cozy library, and even a fireplace where residents can gather, and there's a golf course and shopping close by if someone wants to get out. This skilled nursing facility runs with 120 certified beds, though most days there's an average of about 86 residents, with both personal care and advanced rehabilitation offered, taking people on Medicare and Medicaid, and letting the family or resident council have their voice if they like to take part, but it's important to point out that Larkspur has experienced a number of deficiencies, including 24 found on inspections, five of those for infection control, and they've had some trouble meeting requirements around medication services and day-to-day resident care, and several times got cited for accident hazards and not quite enough supervision, though the inspection grade came out to an A-. Larkspur employs a mix of registered nurses, LPNs, CNAs, therapy staff, and it keeps pharmacy services available seven days a week, but nurse turnover is on the high side, sitting at 58.4%, which is higher than the state average, and their nurse staffing is a bit lower than Texas's average too, at 3.27 hours per resident per day. The company running things is Stoneleigh Health Care Center Ltd. Co, and Larkspur is linked to the bigger Cantex Continuing Care Network, with no special terms or branding for programs here, but the services cover a lot of ground-skilled nursing, home health care, both inpatient and outpatient rehab, discharge planning, wound and cardiac care, respite care, stroke recovery, palliative and hospice care, various therapies, pharmacy and lab work, X-rays, speech and nutritional counseling, and plenty of help with daily tasks and transitional care when someone's heading home or to another setting. People get access to social service staff, activity and lifestyle programs, special meals, and medical transportation as needed, and Larkspur offers care for a range of needs, from chronic or post-surgical recovery to restorative nursing and more complicated medical issues like IV antibiotics, tracheotomy, respiratory therapy, and TPN. The goal at Larkspur seems focused on meeting the diverse needs of its residents, with staff working around the clock, but anyone considering it ought to know that some gaps have been found in care and infection control, and while the setting has its pleasant and homey touches, the experience will depend a lot on individual needs and expectations.