Enhanced Assisted Living

Sunshine’s New Enhanced Assisted Living Smooths the Transition from Hospital to Home

With 24/7 on-site staff, medication management, and meals, you and your family can focus on healing and wellness.

Please call us at (509) 321-9048 for more information about how Sunshine’s new Enhanced Assisted Living can help you. Download a PDF of the Sunshine EAL brochure.

What is Enhanced Assisted Living?

Sunshine’s new Enhanced Assisted Living (EAL) provides short-term care after in-patient rehab stays for orthopedic surgeries, cardiac events, illnesses, stroke, and other health concerns.

EAL is a safe and temporary placement option after skilled nursing rehabilitation for those who are not ready to return home independently.

EAL offers more healthcare and assistance than you may get at home while continuing therapy through home health.

We work on safely transitioning you home after a health event such as:

• Orthopedic surgery such as hip fractures, joint replacements, and arthroplasty
• Heart attack and pulmonary events
• Stroke
• Other Illnesses, such as infections and wounds

Enhanced Assisted Living offers 24/7 on-site care, meal and snack preparation, medication management, and help with daily living, dressing, and bathing so you and your family can rest and focus on healing.

Customized Care Specific to You

We understand there is not one type of patient or one type of care. Enhanced Assisted Living offers a supportive environment for healing and is an ideal solution when you’ve met all your goals during your skilled nursing stay but are not quite ready to go home independently.

Committed to Your Success

Sunshine’s Enhanced Assisted Living program delivers quality care and optimum outcomes resulting in higher discharge success. In Enhanced Assisted Living, you are cared for by home health providers who can follow you after you go home. We value family and support caregiver relationships, so we offer care conferences as often as needed. Our desire is to get you to your highest possible functional ability after a health event and we will adapt care if your needs change during your stay with us.

Sunshine’s Approach to Enhanced Assisted Living

Sunshine Enhanced Assisted Living offers care for clinically complex conditions with more on-site clinical staff than traditional and long-term assisted living facilities.

Our focus is your well-being, including supportive personal and health services that address your physical, emotional, and social needs. We emphasize independence, privacy, dignity, and resident participation in decisions about medical care. You’ll maintain privacy while healing and can enjoy socializing and activities when you feel ready.

A Safe Environment for Healing

When recovering from a significant health event, many people lose interest in cleaning and cooking, often resulting in a lack of nutrition. Round-the-clock in-home professional care is often cost-prohibitive or unsustainable when their family provides care. Often, however, the family can't maintain ongoing care, which is where Sunshine comes in. Sunshine offers 24/7 care at our Spokane Valley campus, preparing and delivering meals, snacks, housekeeping, and laundry.

Private homes may not be accessible, and temporarily retrofitting a private home with assistive technology can be cost-prohibitive. We are fully accessible and offer assistive devices and transportation to off-site appointments. 

Enhanced Assisted Living Provides

• On-site medical services, including 24/7 care and a doctor on-site
• Prepared and delivered meals, 3 meals, and 3 snacks daily
• Accommodations for special diets
• Medication management
• Help with activities of daily living (dressing, bathing)
• Transportation to off-site medical appointments
• Laundry, daily
• Housekeeping, 5 days a week
• Double occupancy rooms
• Social activities, offered 5 days a week
• Daily visiting times for family and pets (with proof of vaccinations) that promote rest and recovery
• Concierge healthcare through our Resident Care Coordinator, who will coordinate your care with outside agencies

Frequently Asked Questions / FAQs

Healthcare & Safety

Is there a doctor on-site for EAL?

Yes. The medical team is available 24/7. A doctor is on-site daily and on-call 24/7.

Do patients bring in their own medications or all medications provided by Sunshine?

Patients can bring their own medication if it goes directly to staff on admission. Sunshine EAL staff will navigate any refills from there.

What on-site therapies does Sunshine provide?

Home health home therapies can be used as needed in the patient’s room or in our activity room if more space is required.

How does Sunshine’s EAL differ from a traditional assisted living facility?

Sunshine’s EAL will offer care for more clinically complex patients with more clinical staff presence compared to a traditional assisted living facility. Short-term rehab patients who use Enhanced Assisted Living/EAL typically are recovering from:

• Orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions (e.g., hip fractures, joint replacements, elective joint arthroplasty)
• Cardiovascular events (e.g., open heart surgery, respiratory)
• Neurological events (dependent on severity and required LOC)
• Severe illness (e.g., sepsis, UTIs, wound care)

What safety measures does Sunshine have in place for EAL patients while they recover?

Sunshine EAL has fully accessible and adaptable living spaces, including emergency call systems, ramps, transportation, grab bars, raised toilet seats, mechanical lifts, and other safety devices.

Is transportation provided to my doctor’s appointments (e.g., surgery follow-ups, chemo, etc.)?

Our appointment transporter can transport all residents to appointments as needed. If the resident is unable to make his or her own decisions, we ask that a guardian, person with power of attorney (POA), or family member be present at the appointment. If a guardian, POA, or family member cannot be present, we will try to send a staff member or reschedule the appointment.

Are patients discharged to their own homes, or can they be discharged to a long-term care facility?

Patients are discharged to the location of their choosing if it meets safety requirements. Family or friends will need to help with discharge. A resident care coordinator will help with this. Home health providers can continue your therapies in your home after discharge.

Comfort & Amenities

How long should I expect to stay in EAL?

Your length of stay depends on the care plan developed between you and your doctor. Typical EAL stays are approximately three weeks.

What type of help will I receive while in EAL?

We help with all activities of daily living, such as medication, meals, dressing, and bathing, so you can focus on healing and wellness. Our goal is to help you get to your highest possible functional ability.

What meals does EAL provide? Does EAL accommodate special diets?

While in EAL, you’ll have three full meals and three snacks per day. Our kitchen can accommodate any diets or restrictions if the provider gives written instructions.

Social Interactions

What are visiting hours for family members or clergy?

Regular visiting hours are 10 am-7 pm. We make exceptions as needed.

Can my family bring my dog to visit me while I’m in EAL?

Pets can visit if the owner has proof of vaccination.

What interaction will patients have with each other?

Residents can have as much or as little interaction with other residents as desired, and staff will encourage good relationships

What social activities are available for EAL patients?

Our Activities Staff offers stimulating activities five days a week.

Billing

How much does EAL cost?

EAL typically costs less than nursing home care or retrofitting a private home for round-the-clock private in-home care, but it depends on your level of care and length of stay with us.

How am I billed when I am staying in Sunshine EAL?

If you receive home health services while staying in EAL, those services will be billed separately from your stay in Sunshine EAL. Depending on your insurance benefit, you may receive a bill for coinsurance, copays, or deductibles. We accept private pay and Medicaid.

Who do I talk to if I have questions about billing and insurance?

Sunshine's financial services department is happy to answer billing and insurance-specific questions. For specific questions, please call (509) 21-9048 and ask to speak with a financial representative.

Does the patient need to coordinate their own care once they arrive in EAL, such as making phone calls to home health companies?

We have a Resident Care Coordinator who can help as much or as little. 

Contact Our Team for More Info! (509) 321-9048

• Rehabilitation (PT, OT, Speech Therapy)
• Home Health Care — Medicare Certified
• Adult Family Homes 
• Memory Care — Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Care
• Mental and Behavioral Health Care

Download the Sunshine EAL Brochure