Finding a place for a loved one to recover after a hospital stay is stressful. It’s overwhelming. You’re looking at Park Avenue Extended Care in Long Beach, New York, and wondering if it’s the right fit. Honestly, the world of skilled nursing facilities—SNFs for short—is a maze of Medicare ratings, local reputations, and the gut feeling you get when you walk through the front doors. It’s located right on Park Ave, just blocks from the ocean, which sounds nice, but what actually happens inside those walls?
People usually end up here for two reasons. One, they need short-term rehab after a hip replacement or a stroke. Two, they need long-term care because living at home just isn't safe anymore. It’s a 240-bed facility. That’s a lot of people. When a place is that big, the experience can vary wildly depending on which unit you're on and who is working that shift.
The Reality of Skilled Nursing at Park Avenue Extended Care
Let’s talk about the care. Park Avenue Extended Care provides what’s known as sub-acute rehabilitation. This isn’t a hospital, but it’s not a retirement home either. It’s that middle ground. They have a team of registered nurses, LPNs, and certified nursing assistants (CNAs).
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If you're there for rehab, you’re looking at physical therapy, occupational therapy, and sometimes speech therapy. The goal is always the same: get strong enough to go home. The facility has a dedicated rehab gym. It’s busy. You’ll see people working on parallel bars or practicing getting in and out of a "mock" kitchen setup. It’s hard work. It’s often sweaty and frustrating for the patients, but that’s the nature of recovery.
One thing that surprises people is the social aspect. They have a recreation department. You’ll see bingo, sure—it’s a classic for a reason—but there are also music programs and holiday parties. For long-term residents, these moments are the highlight of the day. Without them, the days bleed together.
The Medicare Star Rating System
You've probably seen the stars. CMS (the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) gives these facilities ratings from one to five. Park Avenue Extended Care’s rating fluctuates. This is common. One year they might have five stars in quality measures but two stars in staffing. Why? Because staffing is the biggest challenge in the entire healthcare industry right now.
Nursing homes across New York struggle to keep consistent help. When you check the current ratings on the Medicare.gov Care Compare tool, look closely at the "Staffing" and "Health Inspections" categories. These tell a deeper story than the overall number. A "Health Inspection" score is based on actual onsite visits from state surveyors who show up unannounced. They look for everything from how food is stored to whether call bells are being answered quickly enough.
Navigating the Admissions Process
Admissions usually happen fast. A hospital social worker mentions the name, and suddenly you have two hours to decide. It’s a whirlwind.
When you call Park Avenue Extended Care, you’ll talk to the admissions coordinator. They’ll ask for the "PRI"—the Patient Review Instrument. This is a medical document that determines how much care a person needs. It’s basically a score that tells the facility if they can actually handle the patient's medical requirements. If someone needs a ventilator, for instance, that’s a different level of care than someone who just needs help walking.
Money is the other big hurdle. Medicare typically pays for the first 20 days of rehab at 100%, provided there was a three-night qualifying hospital stay. After that, there’s a co-pay. By day 101, Medicare stops paying entirely. Long-term care is a different beast altogether. That’s usually paid for by private funds or Medicaid. The "Medicaid Pending" process is a nightmare of paperwork. It’s basically a full financial audit of the last five years of a person's life.
What Most People Get Wrong About Long-Term Care
People think nursing homes are "forever" places. Sometimes they are. But the industry has shifted toward "short-term" stays. Facilities like Park Avenue Extended Care are increasingly focused on high-turnover rehab. This means the pace is faster. It can feel a bit clinical.
You've got to be an advocate. This is the most important thing. No facility is perfect. Whether it’s Park Avenue or a high-end facility in Manhattan, things get missed. Maybe a sweater gets lost in the laundry. Maybe a medication is given thirty minutes late. You have to be present. Show up at different times. Talk to the CNAs—they are the ones doing the heavy lifting, literally. They know the residents better than anyone.
Life in Long Beach
Location matters. Being in Long Beach means the air is salty and the breeze is cool. For residents who are mobile, being near the boardwalk is a psychological win. It doesn't feel like they are tucked away in an industrial park.
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The facility itself has a specific layout. It's an older building that has seen various renovations. Some rooms are private; many are semi-private. Sharing a room with a stranger is one of the hardest adjustments for new residents. It’s awkward. You’re sharing a bathroom and a curtained-off space with someone who might have very different habits than you.
Food is another frequent topic of conversation. The dietary department has to balance nutrition with "palatability." It’s institutional cooking. They follow strict low-sodium or diabetic diets as ordered by doctors. Is it a five-star restaurant? No. But they do try to accommodate preferences.
Actionable Steps for Families
If you are considering Park Avenue Extended Care, don't just take a virtual tour. Do the legwork.
Request a physical walkthrough. Look at the floors. Are they clean? Look at the residents in the hallways. Are they dressed and groomed? These small details tell you a lot about the daily rhythm of the facility.
Check the most recent survey report. Every nursing home must keep a copy of their latest state inspection report in a public area, usually near the entrance. Read it. Look for "recurring deficiencies." If they get cited for the same thing three years in a row, that’s a red flag.
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Ask about the staff-to-patient ratio. Not the "average" over a week, but the actual ratio for the specific unit your loved one will be on. Nights and weekends are notoriously leaner than day shifts.
Meet the Social Worker early. They are your bridge to the outside world. They handle discharge planning. If you want your dad home in three weeks, the social worker is the person who coordinates the home health aides and the equipment like walkers or hospital beds.
Review the medication list. Errors often happen during the "transition of care" from hospital to facility. Make sure the nurse at Park Avenue has the exact same list your cardiologist or primary doctor uses.
Choosing a facility is a heavy burden. It’s okay to feel stressed about it. Park Avenue Extended Care is a established part of the Long Beach community, and for many, it provides the necessary bridge between a medical crisis and returning to a normal life. Just remember that your involvement is the secret ingredient to a successful stay. Stay loud, stay present, and keep asking questions.