Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for answers? This might be the place to find them.

If the information below doesn’t answer your questions, please contact us directly at 517.381.6100 and we’d be happy to provide you with any information you need.

All of our caregivers receive on-going memory and dementia care training including “Hand in Hand” training by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

You can set up a tour to see our facility and meet some of our staff by visiting our Schedule a Tour link or by giving us a call at 517-381-6130.

One of the most difficult decisions for families is determining the need for long term care or memory care placement. There can often be a delay in making the decision until an unfortunate circumstance presents itself that brings to light the fact that someone is in need of 24-hour supervision and care. There are programs available that can assist seniors with “aging in place”, but what should you do when those programs aren’t enough to remain safely at home?  Give us a call. We can help you work through the financials & insurance, take you on a tour of our facility and show you the programs we offer to help you make an informed decision.

Below are some links to additional programs that can assist you in determining the need for care of an aging loved one.

Dobie Road accepts Medicaid, Medicare and most third party insurances. Please give us a call at 517-381-6130 if you have additional questions regarding your insurance.

There may be many circumstances that determine your need for inpatient sub-acute rehab following a surgery such as – living alone or not being able to meet your therapy goals while in the hospital. If you have concerns or questions on your need for inpatient rehab, give us a call at Dobie or talk with your physician or hospital case manager/discharge planner.

At Dobie, you will need to bring a copy of your insurance card, about 7 days of comfortable, loose-fitting clothes appropriate for exercise, a pair of non-skid shoes, any personal items you would like to have (favorite toiletries, cell phone, laptop, tablet), Power of Attorney paperwork, if applicable. At Dobie Road – all of your health and beauty items will be provided.

At the Rehabilitation Services of Ingham County, or “Dobie Road”, you can expect about 1-3 hours a day of physical and occupational therapy 5-6 days per week (depending on your individual abilities and goals). A therapy program incorporating your surgeon’s specific discharge instructions will be individualized just for you.

No, your medications while at Dobie are covered by insurance and filled upon admission.

100 days of benefit, does not mean you will need 100 days of Rehab. Your length of stay will depend on your individual needs. Medicare, Managed Medicare HMO’s and commercial health insurances have guidelines and criteria they require you to meet in order to receive inpatient therapy, for instance, making rehabilitation progress and meeting goals.

The only equipment you will need to bring is a Bi-Pap or C-PAP, if you are required to have one. All other equipment is provided by Dobie Road while you are here.

Yes, the Dobie Road Medical Care Center does offer laundry services for our rehabilitation residents and long-term care residents.  

Laundry Process for Long-term Care

All personal clothes that come in are required to be labeled. Laundry staff will pick up personal clothing for all new admits labeling them; they will be returned the same day. Any new clothes brought in will need to go to the laundry before taking them to the resident’s/patient’s room. The laundry has a box outside of the door with a piece of paper that will need to be filled out; the resident name, room number, a description of the clothes, and how many are very helpful; all clothes will go into a bag with that paper then given to laundry staff. (Bags are also provided in that box). Laundry will return these items within 24 hours. Laundry does ask that you don’t bring in specialty care items that could get ruined in the washer/dryer; all machines are industrial size.

Rehabilitation Laundry operations

If the Facility does the laundry, we charge for laundry services, Laundry is picked up twice a week, and it is required that we label the clothing to ensure that the laundry comes back to that patient. Laundry staff will go into each new admit room asking if they would like the facility to do laundry or family. If the facility does laundry, the laundry staff will put a yellow sign on the door that we do laundry; the laundry staff will take the clothes they have and label them with facility labels (we put those on with a heated press.) If the family brings more clothes, they will need to let a CNA, Nurse, or Secretary know so those clothes can be sent to the laundry to be labeled. If the family does laundry, the laundry staff will put a green sign on the closet door to let staff know that the family does the laundry.

If you have questions: Contact Environmental Services at (517) 381-6153 or Laundry Services at (517) 381-6149 or by email: [email protected].

DR-Laundry-Drop-off-form-fillable.pdf

There are not set visiting hours at Dobie Road, so loved ones are welcome to come and go as they please. If your loved one would like to join you for a meal, let the unit secretary know and arrangements can be made.

Our food is one of the things we get complimented on the most. We take a lot of pride in preparing our meals fresh daily and include a homemade soup every day. Our Dining Services Director and Registered Dietician ensure your meals are healthy and full of flavor. Remember it’s ALWAYS a delicious day in Dobie Dining Services!

A Durable Power of Attorney is someone you designate to make decisions for you, in the event that you are unable to speak for yourself. There are two types of DPOA’s- general durable power of attorney, which handles financial matters and durable power of attorney for health care, which handles health care decisions, including end of life. You are not required to designate a durable power of attorney, however such documents have been noted to be especially helpful for aging adults and their families. If two physicians deem you unable to make sound decisions and you do not have a durable power of attorney for health care, the facility or your family may need to seek a court-appointed guardian to make medical decisions for you. The social services department can assist you in filling out DPOA paperwork.

There are many options available that can help cover the cost of Long Term Care. Medicare, Medicaid, and private pay are the most common options. If you have Long Term Care Insurance, contact your insurance agent to get details on what your coverage is and what benefits you have. If you do not have Long Term Care insurance and you or a loved one is in need of service, you can contact Dobie at 517-381-6130 to discuss any questions you may have. Additional resources are:

We have a program called Comfort Care, which is a type of care designed specifically for someone with a chronic condition or significant illness entering his or her final stages of life. The Comfort Care program focuses on pain and symptom management, along with compassionate care and supportive visits. The additional services offered by the program include extra nurse, nursing assistant, and social work visits, chaplain visits, massage therapy, music therapy, and bereavement services for families. The Comfort Care program is free of charge for patients and residents who qualify.

The facility offers Advance Care Planning, which assists residents, patients, and their families in planning for their future medical care and exploring their wishes. All adults (even healthy adults) are encouraged to participate in this type of planning. We have 6 certified advance care planning facilitators on staff. You can contact Megan Peisert at 517-381-6122 for further information or to set up a meeting with one of our facilitators.

You can donate to the Ingham County Medical Care Facility Foundation by visiting the Foundation page. Our Foundation page also lists items that have been purchased for the facility from the Foundation.