At Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center privacy is honored and individuality respected. An attractive, secure residence where loved ones are assured of skilled nursing care and assistance with daily living. Nestled in the farmlands of Middlebury, this 105-bed facility is licensed by the state of Vermont and certified by Medicare and Medicaid. Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center is a skilled and intermediate care residence which specializes in providing a home-like environment.  (View printable Brochure) 

Admission Application form to  fill out and mail in... Click Here

Part of the Community

At Helen Porter, we're concerned about the total person ­ about emotional and spiritual needs as well as physical care. That's why each resident is considered an important member of the larger community. An open door visiting policy invites family and friends to come and go at their own convenience, just as you would at home. Visits from members of area organizations such as churches and musical groups foster a sense of involvement. Holiday parties, and the opportunity for excursions to local events, contribute to the community spirit.

Nursing Staff

There are experienced nurses on duty 24 hours a day at Helen Porter. Registered Nurses (RN), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), and Certified Nurse Assistants (CNA) take care of the daily living needs of residents, assuring their safety, personal hygiene, and comfort. Tailoring care to individual needs and goals is central to our philosophy. Residents and family are an important part of the team in making planning decisions. We emphasize what the individual can and chooses to do in striving to achieve the maximum level of independence.

Personal Well Being

Recognizing that some residents may have special needs, our Social Service, Physical and Speech Therapy, and Activities Departments are equipped to assess each person's situation. Programs are available for the physically challenged as well as those with memory impairment.

In helping meet the needs of all residents, our professional staff has implemented a varied program in the large, well-equipped activity room. For those with special interests, individual programs can be arranged as well as group pursuits in sports, games, arts and crafts, nature walks, gardening, and music. All residents have access to outdoor recreation in a secure courtyard. Dedicated community volunteers help to provide meaningful leisure time activity and add a special touch to resident care at Helen Porter. They perform many tasks that contribute to the enjoyment of nursing home services.

Members of the staff encourage active involvement in all programs, but residents may choose to participate or not as they see fit. Our licensed professional Physical and Speech Therapists provide services in our well-equipped department to maximize each resident's independence.

Well-prepared food, attractively presented, is essential to personal well being. Here at Helen Porter, our chef has consulted with our nutritionist in tailoring menus to the preferences of our diners. As a result we serve homestyle meals, which contribute to a high degree of resident satisfaction.

Considerate, Respectful Care

With consultation from our Medical Director, a team of dedicated professionals has been assembled to enhance the quality of life at Helen Porter. All staff: Nursing, Dietitians, Social Workers, Physical Therapists, Speech Therapist, Nutrition Services, Activities, Housekeeping, Buildings and Grounds, and Maintenance, subscribe to an interdisciplinary approach in which all areas of expertise are equally important. Within this context, considerate and respectful care is given to each resident. In the event of an emergency, the nursing home is adjacent to Porter Hospital which is fully equipped and staffed to handle critical illnesses.

Medical Choice

Whenever there is a need for a critical health care decision, difficult choices arise. At Helen Porter, we respect the family and resident's decisions regarding medical care. Our staff members are ready to discuss these concerns and to provide information which may be helpful.

Family Support

Recognizing the need for nursing home care can be an unsettling process for families. Our experienced staff is always available to provide support in making this important transition and will work to ensure the least amount of disruption to the emotional ties of family and friends. While being sensitive to the concerns of everyone involved, we believe in the right of each resident to make decisions about care and encourage individual control over daily life. In considering the needs of aging loved ones, we invite you to visit Helen Porter and see for yourself how this philosophy is put into practice.  More...

Short-Term Rehabilitation Services

The Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center has an expert staff of nurses, physicians, physical, speech and occupational therapists, all working together to address the individual needs of our residents-many of whom are with us for short stays following surgery and/or hospitalization before returning home.  Through specially-designed treatment programs, residents in our Short-Term Rehabilitation Program receive the assistance and support they need to return home and to greater independence.

A Unique and Natural Environment

Residents and families have access to two remarkable resources at Helen Porter.  We have a beautifully landscaped courtyard with both perennial flower beds and raised gardens for the annual planting of fresh vegetables by our residents. Additionally, our residents may enjoy a handicapped-accessible nature trail which begins at Helen Porter and winds through meadowlands, wetlands, and woodlands.  The trail provides a lovely outdoor respite for our residents and allows them to take advantage of the soothing and healing effects of nature.

Special Care for Dementia

The Dementia Special Care Unit at Helen Porter is an activities-based program  offering a warm, caring and safe environment to meet the needs of individuals with memory loss.

Our team of nurses, special services staff, activity programmers and others, is trained to care for our residents in a specially designed, loving and safe environment. We will work with your family and physician to minimize barriers and maximize dignity for every individual in our care.

At Helen Porter, we focus on possibilities, not limitations; on the person, not the disease; and we have the experience and environment to address each resident's needs-and yours.

Long-Term Care

In addition to our many specialized services, Helen Porter continues to build upon our 30-year tradition of high quality long-term care services. Separated from the Dementia Unit and the Short-Term Rehabilitation Unit, our long-term care residents receive nursing care and assistance with daily living, as well as programs and activities tailored to their abilities and needs.

Respite and Hospice Services

Working in collaboration with the Addison County Home Health Care Agency and Hospice, Helen Porter offers hospice services, as well as short-term respite stays to support caregivers who need a safe and secure health care environment for their elderly or disabled loved ones. The program offers short term respite services for families who are caring for a loved one at home but who need to be away from home for a few days or a few weeks.

"The goal of this new respite program is to offer area families a high-quality, safe and secure environment for an elderly parent, grandparent or anyone who requires supervision and care while the family attends to other responsibilities or perhaps takes a vacation," said HPHRC administrator Neil Gruber.  "Our short-term respite service offers 24-hour supervision, nursing and medical care, assistance with the entire range of daily activities and nutritious meals all in a safe, respectful and caring environment."

According to Gruber, respite services are often covered by the Vermont Medicaid Program and some private long-term care insurance policies.  Families may also pay privately if third-party funding is not available to them.

For more information about this new program call Helen Porter at 388-4001 and see our brochure.

Eastview Retirement Community

The proposed "Eastview Retirement Community" is a separate organization outside of the corporate structure of Porter Medical Center-but the positive implications to our organization are so significant that we have chosen to include this project within the context of this report. More details on East View Retirement Community...
 

2008 Annual Report to the Community

Information about Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center from the 2008 Annual Report to the Community is available here

For more information, contact the
Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
at 802-388-4001

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