Meridian Rehabilitation and Health Care Center sits at 1555 North Meridian Avenue in the Indian Hills Riverbend neighborhood of Wichita, Kansas, in a building built back in 1966, and it's one of those larger facilities with 106 certified beds and an average of about 91 residents each day, offering health care services, nursing care, long-term care, short-term rehabilitation, memory care, respite care, dementia care, hospice care, home health, and even at-home care, all managed by Walnut Creek Management Company LLC and affiliated with Tutera Senior Living & Health Care, so if someone's looking for all kinds of care under one roof, that's what you get, and yes, they've got speech, physical, and occupational therapy, plus medication management and wound care as part of their regular lineup. The place tries to fit personal needs, planning rehab or recovery goals to help folks stay as independent as possible, and they do have things like 24-hour staff, a Medical Director, on-site medical professionals, and nurse staffing at 3.47 hours per resident per day, though that number's a bit lower than the state average, and they do have more nurse turnover too, about 61.8%, which is higher than most places around here.
Residents have plenty of lifestyle features to fill the days, including a fitness center, activity spots, a theater room for movies or gatherings, an outdoor patio, walking paths, a salon and barber, and even pet-friendly spots-plus, Wi-Fi in rooms and room service, which folks seem to appreciate, along with in-house meals made to fit dietary needs and encourage eating good, nutritious food. On top of that, Meridian has a bunch of options for private rooms, multiple floor plans, and gathering places for recreation, social events, and exercise groups, and it's not hard to find someone participating in therapy or one of the recreational programs. Management's been pretty steady since 2005 with folks like Kiley Brooks and Jeff Gannon coming on in 2022, though reports show a higher-than-average number of citations; there've been 59 total deficiencies in recent inspection reports, with serious issues cited like failing to provide needed treatment for mental disorders or trauma, and not always protecting residents from all types of abuse-both marked as immediate jeopardy to health or safety, so these things should be considered by families. There's also been four infection-related deficiencies, showing some trouble with infection prevention, so if that's a concern, it's good to look into how they're handling those issues these days.
Residents can use transportation to get to their appointments, gather for meals in restaurant-style settings, enjoy wellness snacks, get help with their housekeeping and laundry, and use the online payment system for convenience. The center puts together personalized care plans and offers professional referrals, so there's a focus on supporting both care and independence, and they do keep plenty of guides and resources handy for visitors. The building's been around for many decades, but the inside features state-of-the-art facilities, a gallery to look over, and a supportive environment with licensed staff and a full medical team to help with daily life. This is a for-profit, private facility, and while it's had some challenges, it serves a mix of residents with different care needs in the neighborhoods around Indian Hills Riverbend and Northwest Big River.
