Whitewater Health Services sits in St. Charles, MN and has 45 certified beds, though the average daily census is around 20 residents, which means folks tend to have a little more space and the rooms are mostly private and plenty big for comfort, and while the nurse turnover rate sits at 53.3%, the staffing levels are about 3.85 nurse hours per resident per day, so residents get steady help from staff who many describe as compassionate and caring, developing relationships over time. The community is deficiency-free under Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services evaluations, which is a nice fact to know, and the 2021 Resident Survey found no overall dissatisfaction with nursing care, so people seem pretty satisfied. Whitewater Health Services is the only skilled nursing facility in St. Charles that's contracted by the VA, meaning they can provide healthcare to qualifying military Veterans, and they also accept several insurance plans, like Blue Cross Blue Shield, Quartz, and Aetna.
There are both short-term rehabilitation services for people who need some help on their way from the hospital back home and skilled nursing services for those who are a bit more frail or dependent on daily nursing care, and they also have assisted living, home health and hospice, and even brain injury rehabilitation services, so there are quite a few options. Their care includes things like wound care, catheter and tracheostomy management, intravenous fluids or medication, PICC line care, infection control isolation, nebulizer treatments, incentive spirometry, daily weights, and glucose monitoring, with physician orders guiding services-plus full pharmacy support and an emergency kit available on site.
They've got quite a few healthcare services rolled up in one place, including in-house X-ray, ECGs, venous Doppler ultrasounds, swallow studies, and telehealth consultations with psychiatrists, pulmonologists, and cardiologists, so you don't always have to travel for tests or specialty appointments. Staff also arrange transportation to dialysis when needed. There's discharge planning for residents moving on, as well as occupational, physical, respiratory, and speech therapy.
Folks living here get to enjoy outdoor lawns, walking paths, and landscaped grounds with some sheltered seating for days when the weather's good, and the place is pet-friendly for cats and dogs, which can be reassuring if you don't want to give up a pet. There's visitor parking, too. Activities run all year-think birthday parties and outings to the local fairs-plus other things to get involved in if you want. Residents also get a range of meal choices, and activity staff aim to keep people engaged.
The facility's part of North Shore Healthcare, which means there's broader support for healthcare staffing and operations. Medical and personal care are available 24/7, and rooms are mostly private and offer added comfort, and you'll find both community amenities and healthcare provision all in one spot.