DESERT TERRACE HEALTHCARE CENTER

On North 24th Street in Phoenix, Desert Terrace Healthcare Center is a licensed skilled nursing facility certified for 108 beds. It provides 24-hour nursing care for two groups of people: patients who need a short stay for recovery and therapy after a hospitalization, and residents who need ongoing nursing over the long term. The facility is privately owned and is affiliated with The Ensign Group, a network of about 344 facilities in federal records.

It has been certified to serve Medicare and Medicaid patients since 1972. On a typical day the facility cares for about 87 residents. It reports roughly 3.3 hours of nursing care per resident each day, including about 0.5 hours from registered nurses, with the remainder coming from licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants. Physical therapists are part of the reported care team, which matters for anyone whose goal is to rebuild strength and mobility before returning home.

The facility has a resident council, which gives residents a regular forum to raise concerns and suggest changes. Skilled nursing is meant for people who need care from licensed nurses or therapists every day, such as recovery after a joint replacement, a stroke, or a serious infection, or long-term support for complex medical conditions. Medicare Part A can cover up to 100 days of skilled nursing care after a qualifying inpatient hospital stay of at least three days, with no daily coinsurance for the first 20 days when the stay meets Medicare's requirements.

Because the facility also participates in Medicaid, Arizona residents who qualify for the Arizona Long Term Care System may be able to use those benefits for long-term care here. Location matters for both medical follow-up and family visits. Valleywise Health Medical Center is about 1.5 miles away, and Arizona State Hospital is about 1.5 miles away, which helps with specialist appointments and hospital transfers.

Perry Park is under a mile away for time outdoors with visiting family, Food City is under a mile away, and Phoenix Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is about 1.5 miles away. Public bus stops are within a short walk, which can make visits easier for family members who do not drive. When touring Desert Terrace Healthcare Center, it helps to ask how therapy is scheduled each week, how the care team plans for discharge home or to another setting, how often families receive updates, and how the facility handles a move from a short-term stay to long-term care if needs change.

Seeing a meal service and meeting the nurse who would oversee care can also give a clearer picture of daily life. Decisions about skilled nursing often have to be made within days of a hospital discharge. Local Senior Advisor is a free service to families, and a local advisor can help you compare Desert Terrace Healthcare Center with other facilities around Phoenix and plan the questions to ask.