MOUNT VERNON – The Laurels of Mt. Vernon offers short-term and long-term nursing care, but in a way that is much different.
The Laurels has a physical therapist who can help residents with back problems and other pain, even using a form of acupuncture.
“We really focus on not using medication for pain if we can,” Curtis Farlee, Laurels of Mount Vernon marketing director, told the Mount Vernon News. “These practices do help, and we can avoid using the opioids that other places have to use.”
Physicians are available at the Laurels five days a week.
The Laurels offers therapies for vertigo, short-term or chronic. It also offers memory care.
“For memory care, we have a psychiatrist here monthly who specializes in geriatric dementia,” Farlee said.
With the COVID-19 pandemic subsiding and vaccinations available, the Laurels of Mount Vernon is looking forward to the time when life is back to normal and visitations and field trips can resume, Farlee commented. All staff and residents who wished to have a COVID-19 vaccine have received them.
Before the pandemic, the Columbus Zoo would make visits to the Laurels, bringing a host of animals.
“Almost all of our residents got involved, which was super fun,” Farlee said. “They loved it. They brought a koala. They brought an alligator, birds, a penguin.”
There were frequent field trips for residents as well.
“We had casino trips, shopping trips; we go fishing, we take them to (the) covered bridge in Brookhaven,” Farlee said. In 2019, the year before COVID-19, there were a total of 14 field trips.
The food at The Laurels is described as “fine dining,” and examples of the items on the menu include baked tilapia, veal scallopini and prime rib.
There are private rooms, cable television, beauty and barber shops, and internet access.
COVID-19 raised awareness of nursing facilities nationally, and the higher profile will continue long after the pandemic is over, Farlee noted.
“Absolutely, it made people aware of how many people are in them and how important they are to each community,” he said. “I think people realize now what a large and important role we play for families.”
