The Highlands sits at 335 Nichols Road in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, right across from HealthAlliance Hospital, and it's a large building with views of Wachusett Mountain, where people can find many types of care under one roof, because you'll see it's got both skilled nursing and long-term health care services, plus a separate secure Alzheimer's special care unit and a subacute unit for those who need extra attention. The place doesn't close and staff are always there, with trained nurses and therapists supporting residents 24/7, and there's a focus on meeting each person's needs with individual care plans and careful monitoring, covering everything from rehabilitation after surgery or illness, wound management, suction, intravenous and oxygen therapies, to inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, and even hospice and end-of-life care, so families don't have to look elsewhere when different care levels are needed. People coming for short stays or respite services get looked after too, and for those moving between types of care, the team makes those transitions easier, trying to help people feel comfortable and safe.
Amenities here mean you can spend time in the courtyard or library, get a haircut at the barber and beauty salon, or use the TV and telephone connections in rooms, which makes it easier to relax and keep in touch, and for those who like to check up on news or community events, there's a Facebook page with facility updates, though sometimes you can't access it from every browser. Folks at The Highlands say they're using a touch-based approach to help residents regain independence, and the place is in the middle of several programs to make things safer and better for residents, like reducing off-label antipsychotic use, fighting the flu, and teaching about sepsis. There's even an advocacy center and committees such as MassCAP and MassMAP working behind the scenes to support caregivers and keep up with changing rules.
The care team offers both home care services for those who want to stay at home and in-house care for those in the facility, and you can take a video tour or look at the photo gallery online to see more. They say they're open to feedback and use online forms for families to share ideas or concerns, and they're always aiming for quality and wellness through regular education and seminars. Schedules show main office hours from Monday to Saturday, 8 AM to 5 PM, but that's for administrative things, because the residents always have nurses and staff available day and night, even on Sundays and holidays. The facility is owned by Life Care Centers of America, which means it follows certain national standards, and you'll see they have systems in place for planning health care, helping with cultural changes in care, and supporting both residents and their families during difficult times or big changes in health.
