Admission Policies

1.   This Home is operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor, a worldwide Roman Catholic Congregation founded by Blessed Jeanne Jugan, with the unique mission of care to the elderly poor.

• The Home’s policies and programs are always conceived and carried out according to the teachings and directives of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as the Bishops of the (Arch)Diocese in which the Home is located.

• All persons 60 years of age and older are eligible for admission to the Home’s programs regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, disability or source of payment.

 4.   Persons are admitted in accordance with the standards and criteria established by the Federal and State licensing agencies.

 5.   Excluded from consideration of Admission are:

• persons suffering from alcohol or drug addiction, unless they suffer from another illness for which such drugs have been prescribed by a physician;

• persons  so severely mentally or emotionally disturbed as to present a danger or disturbance to themselves or others or whose behavior interferes with the adequate care or comfort of the other Residents;

• persons suffering from communicable disease, unless a physician certifies in writing that transmitabilty is negligible and poses no danger to the other Residents;

• persons whose physical or mental health needs surpass the resources of the Home to such a degree that they cannot be adequately cared for in this setting.  No person, who in the opinion of a physician, is in need of acute hospital care, will be admitted or retained in the Home.

• In accordance with its mission, the Little Sisters limit admission to those who are financially needy.  Special consideration may be given to the applicants who are clergy or Religious as well as their families.

• Priority in admissions is accorded to Residents and participants already in the Home’s programs, when they need to apply for an alternate level of care, as well as to those who have been hospitalized and need to be readmitted.

 8.   Because of the shortage of Nursing beds and staff limitations, applicants from the community are generally only considered for the more independent levels of care.
     

• Applicants come to the Home for a personal interview and an acquaintance tour before Admission can be considered.  Occasionally, the interview may occur outside of the Home.

10.  Persons applying for admission must do so voluntarily, not under pressure from relatives or friends.  The applicant must be involved in all plans concerning his/her admission to insure and respect personal rights and desires.

11.  At the time of the initial visit, a preliminary assessment will be done.  If admission seems feasible, the applicant will be given forms to be completed.

12.  An applicant who has submitted a completed form for admission and medical examination form and who is eligible for admission based on the above criteria, is placed on the waiting list.  The waiting list is arranged according to chronological order in which applications are completed.  However, applicants are not always admitted in chronological order.  Urgency of need, degree of interest and past association with the Home may be considered.

13.  Waiting lists are reviewed from time to time and applicants may be contacted to determine continued interest and eligibility.  Applicants who cannot or do not wait for an appropriate vacancy, applicants whose condition changes during the period they are on the waiting list (so as to no longer be eligible) and applicants who indicate that they are no longer interested in admission will be removed from the waiting list.

14.  Financial arrangements for care costs will be made at the pre-admission interview, at which time an admission agreement is signed.  According to each situation, the applicant will be given a list of documents to bring at the time of this final visit.  The applicant is asked to designate a responsible party to help with personal, financial and medical affairs.  This person is asked to accompany them on the final visit.

15.  Before admission, the applicant will be asked to share any Advanced Directives to determine if the Home is able to respect them.  If none have been completed, help will be offered for its completion.  This includes such things as “Living Wills,” “Health Care Proxy,” burial arrangements.

16.  At the time of the final visit, the applicant will know what room is available and what space is offered for personal belongings.  All personal belongings should be properly marked before being left in the Home.  Depending on the level of care, there are State and Fire Department limits to the appliances which can be used in the Resident rooms.

17.  Each application must be evaluated in the light of particular facts and circumstances involved, including the medical, social and financial needs and concerns of the applicant and their family as well as the Home’s ability to meet these needs.

18.  Finalization of each admission is dependent on the Resident’s ability to adjust to communal living in the available accommodations.