Moving to a new residence can be a difficult process, especially, it would seem, for elder family members moving to a senior care facility. But at Pratt Rehabilitation & Residence Center (PRRC), senior care is all about taking it easy and enjoying life.

From physical exercise to challenging games to simply visiting with neighbors, stimulating activities are an essential part of everyday life at PRRC. Occasional outings, at resident request, offer a chance to partake of holiday happenings, enjoy a ballgame, or maybe hook a fish or two. Surprise Fridays are spent celebrating timely topics, planting flowers in the warm spring sunshine, or flying kites in the Kansas winds. And family and friends are invited to join the fun at the monthly theme party.

Although family members are always welcome for visits or to take residents where they need and want to go, the word “family” at PRRC also refers to the close kinship between residents and with the community. Besides gaining new friends of similar ages, interests and needs, Rehabilitation & Residence Center residents enjoy being “adopted” by students of area schools who come to share their stories, creativity and helping hands. Of course, Edison and Lucky, the center’s social dogs, are always on hand to greet every newcomer and friend.

Pratt Rehabilitation & Residence Center is a place of homelike comfort, where residents are encouraged to bring furniture and items from home in order to make their surroundings immediately familiar. Greenery gives the place a warm familiarity, while the Internet Café brings a world of information to the center’s door. Other features include five private rooms, a whirlpool tub, a self-service laundry room, and a family room for private gatherings. Mealtimes offer reasons for contentment as well, with two dining areas, daily and alternate menu selections, and a dietary manager to handle special needs.

Meeting every need is accomplished with a staff that truly cares about the well-being of residents. For instance, where else can you find a group of people who go out of their way to make dreams come true? That’s what the Second Wind Dreams program is all about. Every PRRC resident also has a Guardian Angel staff member who acts as an advocate and friend by doing thoughtful little extras. And holidays are just an excuse for this bunch to dress up and have a party.

Make no mistake, these are highly skilled professionals who provide round-the-clock care. In addition to the Rehabilitation & Residence Center’s medical professionals and registered, licensed, and certified nurses, there are visiting physical and occupational therapists, a speech-language pathologist, and a dietary consultant. Social workers are available for the specific concerns of the center’s elder and special needs population. Transportation is provided, for a fee, to medical appointments in or out of town. And PRRC’s location on the campus of Pratt Regional Medical Center makes it ideally situated for general or emergency medical needs.

Fully licensed by The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, PRRC offers long-term care, as well as short-term and respite care for residents needing restorative or rehabilitative therapies. PRRC facilities also permit care of residents with dementia.

As a Medicare and Medicaid-certified facility, Pratt Rehabilitation & Residence Center offers residents an option for payment beyond personal funding. The Rehabilitation & Residence Center is also a member of the Kansas Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (KAHSA).

With so much going on, it is easy to see that Pratt Rehabilitation & Residence Center is far removed from some old-fashioned notion of nursing care facilities. This is a place that residents can easily call home.