5 Reasons to Celebrate Senior Living Nurses

National Nurses Week 2022 is just around the corner and will be held from May 6^th to May 12^th. Kicking off with National Nurses Day, Life Care Services® looks forward to celebrating our nursing staff who provide exceptional care to residents in communities throughout the United States. Our nurses provide so much more than just prescribed care from a routine plan, they support residents and are a part of our community culture.

Let’s take a look at five reasons to celebrate senior nurses who serve our communities and provide professional care for residents in Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, Assisted Living, Memory Care Communities, and other locations. 

1. Nurses provide essential, immediate care

   Senior nurses support residents in so many ways. They administer medication and develop care plans, providing care management for older adults that is both essential and immediate to protecting health and quality of life. Additionally, nursing staff support resident morale, interacting with community members regularly, offering a smile, a story, or simply asking how the person is doing. Without nurses, there would be a lack of continuity of care, as well as less social interaction and investment in resident well-being.  

2. Nurses are advocates for residents

   Because of their engagement with seniors, nurses are critical advocates for resident health and wellness. While medical doctors provide guidance and direction for resident care, nurses are stewards of care, reporting on existing pain or anguish, medical history, current needs, and more. They complete these ongoing assessments to give an accurate picture of a resident’s health.

3. Nurses bridge the gaps for families

   Family members who want to know how their loved one is doing are comforted by information provided by nurses. As an advocate, nurses provide family-centered care, which includes communicating with a spouse or adult child about the day-to-day status of a resident. By informing families, nurses provide a sense of compassion and relief as the connection between daily life in the community and the outside world. Of course, family members are welcome to visit residents. However, work, children, and daily obstacles don’t always make it possible, which is why nurses are valued for bridging gaps in communication. 

4. Nurses handle it all with poise and confidence

   Providing nursing care for seniors is not easy. Residents often need care and support in the middle of the night and struggle to overcome challenges. Working as a senior nurse is a passion that requires skill, stamina, and the ability to always adapt. Nurses are patiently waiting to provide assistance 24/7/365 and take on stressful situations when they occur.

5. Nurses work extremely hard

Nurses are dedicated to hard work and deserve to be recognized for their efforts. They put in long hours, have a lot of responsibility, and are constantly moving throughout their shifts. Because they care for residents throughout the community, a nurse may walk anywhere from two to five miles in a single day! Additionally, providing care and offering support can be physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing.

Bonus: The Best Ways to Say ‘Thank You’ This National Nurses Week

It’s clear that nurses go above and beyond to care for seniors and communicate with families, along with providing professional support for the internal operations of communities.

National Nurses Week is the perfect time to thank a hard-working nurse. Here are five ways you can say “thank you” this week and any other time of the year:

• Give them a gift bag with a card, certificates to their favorite store, etc.
• Bring them lunch.
• Children can make them a craft.
• Share how awesome they are on social media.
• Decorate their work environment.
• Stock them with snacks.
• Offer a hug or handshake and tell them you appreciate what they do.
• Listen to their needs.

We Cherish Our Nurses at Life Care Services

Life Care Services wants to thank the talented, kind nurses who work among many of our more than 130 communities across the U.S. We would not have the reputation we have garnered as a place that seniors can call home without the contributions our nurses provide. If you or your loved one are interested in senior living and want nursing care for seniors that goes above and beyond, then a Life Care Services community is a perfect choice. Talk with us about living options and find your community, today!