Respiratory Care Center

 
 

 

 

In 1980, Rockcastle Regional opened its first long-term care unit with 32 beds and added 28 more beds just 12 years later. Today, after numerous expansions, our Respiratory Care Center offers comfortable, professional, long-term care for 143 ventilator-dependent residents. We are the largest, free-standing ventilator dependent facility in the nation with an average wean rate of over 50%.

Family environment

Each resident in the Respiratory Care Center is treated like family. The moment they become a resident, we welcome them with open arms. Regular, scheduled activities, offered 7 days a week, 365 days a year, present opportunities for the residents to bond with our staff and one another.

Residents of the Respiratory Care Center enjoy breaking beans together, just as many
of them grew up doing at home. Incorporating group activities into every day is one
of the ways our residents are able to enjoy a high quality of life and fellowship.
A dedicated resident dining room provides a place for not just daily dining, but also
is the location of holiday dinners, birthday parties, family reunions, and many other
group activities residents are able to take part and enjoy.

Experience like no other

Our staff has extensive knowledge and experience in many conditions that lead to ventilator dependence. Ranging from spinal cord injuries to genetic birth defects, as well as, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and neurological diagnoses such as ALS and Muscular Dystrophy, our staff are fully trained and equipped to provide the highest level of ventilator-dependent care to residents of a wide range of diagnoses. 

Advanced treatment

There are many factors involved in the weaning process that determine if a resident is able to wean from the ventilator. Some of our residents wean quickly; others take longer; and some are not able to wean due to injuries or progressive diseases. When residents are admitted to the Respiratory Care Center, the physician team and the respiratory therapist, along with a multi-disciplinary care team, evaluate each residents' health status, health goals, weaning goals, and personal goals and develop a plan to help each resident achieve those highly personalized goals. With this personalized, effective team approach, we are proud of our exceptionally successful wean rate. 

Katie Sharpe, RN visits Mrs. Lavinia Whitt in her home in Lexington several weeks after
she was disharged from the Respiratory Care Center after she was weaned from the
ventilator following a complicated health journey landed her at Rockcastle Regional at
age 62 unable to breathe on her own. 

Care that has no boundaries

While most of our residents are from Kentucky, our service area contains no boundaries. We receive ventilator referrals from all over the United States.

To make a referral, contact:

Carolyn Browning
Ph: (606) 256-7757
Fax: 606-256-4579
Email: c.browning@rhrcc.org

 

Click here to view informational video