Souris Valley Care Center sits at 300 Main Street South in Velva, North Dakota, and goes by Valley View Manor sometimes, and you'll hear folks mention both names. The place runs as a non-profit corporation and has 46 certified nursing facility beds, and they average around 37 residents each day, and it's managed right now by Alvin Finneseth and has been run by The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society since 1991. The staff do their best to keep things personal, planning care for every resident to try to help them keep their dignity and independence, and you'll find skilled nursing services for folks who need more help with daily life and medical needs, and then they have memory care for people facing dementia or Alzheimer's. They offer medication management, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and both inpatient and outpatient rehab for folks who need to recover from illness or surgery, plus palliative and end-of-life care for people needing peace and comfort.
You'll find diabetes care, high-acuity care, incontinence help, and support for seniors who can't get around on their own. The staff tries to provide healthcare focused on what each person needs, and they offer both long-term stays and short-term respite care if caregivers need a break. There are assisted living apartments connected with Valley View Manor and services that stretch to caregiver support too, though they don't have separate assisted living beds or basic care beds in the main center. Meals, indoor social areas, and devotional activities are all part of the daily routine, and they even organize activities offsite to keep folks busy and connected.
Of course, it's not perfect, because state inspectors have found issues, like deficiencies with infection control and pharmacy services, and there's been a complaint that led to a fine, and sometimes the nurse turnover gets a bit high, but the staff keeps trying to do their best for the residents and keeps working on improvements. Nurse staffing averages about 4.00 hours per day for each resident. The facility focuses on making everyone feel at home and does its best to shape a place for older adults to thrive, even as they face changes with health and life.
