Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation in West Valley City, Utah

Our team of rehabilitation specialists works with our patients and their families to restore residents to the highest possible level of independence. Our physical, occupational, and speech therapists help residents to increase their strength and relearn basic living skills that may enable them to return home or to lesser levels of care. The therapy team is comprised of a friendly and dynamic group of PTs, PTAs, OTs, COTAs, and SLPs. Our team has accumulated a wide range of experience in several settings including:

Inpatient transitional rehabilitation for orthopedic, neurologic, and general medicine patients
Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Speech therapy
Outpatient therapy services
Lymphedema therapy
Home care therapy services

Yes

Yes

Skilled nursing facilities offer a range of therapy services designed to help residents regain independence and improve their quality of life. These commonly include physical therapy for strength and mobility, occupational therapy for daily activities, and speech therapy for communication and swallowing.  Additionally, Rocky Mountain Care Willow Springs also offers outpatient therapy. Recovering from an injury, illness, or surgery takes time.  Having highly skilled and caring people to guide you on your journey to better health and wellness is key to achieving the best results.  Our trained professionals at Rocky Mountain Care provide high-quality outpatient therapy services.

Rehabilitation stays in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) can vary, typically lasting from a few days to several weeks, depending on individual needs and progress.  It can range from just a short couple of weeks to a couple of months.

Utah’s Skilled Nursing Facility Upper Payment Limit (UPL) program is a federally authorized Medicaid funding program designed to help cover the gap between what Medicaid pays and the actual cost of caring for Medicaid patients in nursing homes across the state. It brings more than $100 million dollars in federal funds to the state annually at no cost to Utah taxpayers. These additional funds are used to improve resident care in nursing facilities through investments in staffing, infrastructure, technology, and quality-of-life enhancements. The UPL program not only dramatically increases the resources that are available for care across the state but also ensures that some of Utah’s most vulnerable seniors can access high-quality, long-term care. Without the UPL program, many skilled nursing facilities would struggle to stay open.

Medicaid supports skilled nursing facilities by paying for a broad range of services for eligible individuals, including room and board, 24-hour nursing care, rehabilitation, and medical supplies. In some states like Utah, Medicaid’s routine per diems, along with supplemental payments, can cover over 100% of facility costs on average, while without supplemental payments, it covers approximately 78% of costs.

For eligible beneficiaries, Medicaid pays 100% of nursing home costs. Medicaid is the primary payer for nursing home care in the U.S., directly funding residents’ care and providing financial support that enables many to use their Medicare benefits as well. For many residents who remain after Medicare coverage ends, Medicaid quickly becomes their primary payer.

• Nursing and related services
• Specialized rehabilitative services
• Medically-related social services
• Pharmaceutical services
• Dietary services individualized to the needs of each resident
• Professionally directed program of activities
• Emergency dental services
• Room and bed maintenance services
• Routine personal hygiene items and services
• Transportation to medical appointments

Yes

Both programs provide health coverage, but Medicare is an “entitlement” program, meaning that everyone who reaches age 65 and is eligible for Social Security benefits also receives Medicare. (Medicare also covers people of any age who are permanently disabled or who have end-stage renal disease.)

Medicaid, on the other hand, is a public assistance program that helps pay medical costs for individuals with limited income and assets. To be eligible for Medicaid coverage, you must meet the program’s strict income and asset guidelines. Also, unlike Medicare, which is totally federal, Medicaid is a joint state-federal program. Each state operates its own Medicaid system, but it must conform to federal guidelines to receive federal funds, which pay for about half the state’s Medicaid costs. (The state picks up the rest of the tab.)

Medicare and Medicaid Coverage of Long-Term Care. The most significant difference between Medicare and Medicaid in the realm of long-term care planning, however, is that Medicaid covers nursing home care, while Medicare, for the most part, does not. Medicare Part A covers only up to 100 days of care in a “skilled nursing” facility per spell of illness.

Key Aspects of Skilled Nursing Care

• Comprehensive Medical and Rehabilitative Support: SNFs offer around-the-clock medical care from registered nurses and doctors, alongside rehabilitative therapies like physical, occupational, and speech therapy. These services are crucial for regaining strength, improving independence, and managing ongoing medical needs such as wound care, IV medication, and medication management.
• Assistance with Daily Activities: Patients receive support with daily tasks, helping them rebuild their ability to care for themselves.
• Focus on Recovery and Independence: The goal of skilled nursing care is to help individuals recover more completely before returning home. This includes developing personalized treatment plans that cater to individual recovery goals, such as reducing reliance on a wheelchair or improving the ability to perform everyday activities.
• Prevention of Readmissions: Studies suggest that individuals transitioning to skilled nursing care often experience fewer complications and faster recoveries, reducing the likelihood of hospital readmissions. This is achieved through continuous monitoring, infection prevention, and optimized nutrition and hydration.
• Emotional and Social Support: Beyond physical care, skilled nursing facilities also provide emotional and social support, which is vital during a challenging recovery period.