Bruceville Terrace is a 171-bed skilled-nursing facility at Methodist Hospital of Sacramento that provides medical and rehabilitative care for people needing long-term nursing care and those needing short-term recovery from a hospital procedure with closer medical supervision.

Within a comfortable, homelike environment, residents receive a full range of services from a team of skilled health-care professionals dedicated to enhancing quality of life. Bruceville Terrace annually admits approximately 800 patients, primarily providing care for the elderly and those requiring extended recoveries, with a specialty in wound care. Nearly 60 percent of residents return home or to a lower level of care. The average length of stay for short-term patients is 18 days, while long-term residents stay an average of one year.

Bruceville Terrace is committed to meeting medical, social and emotional needs of residents and families. Key services include:

Rehabilitation: A team of nurses and physical, occupational and speech therapists provide comprehensive rehabilitation. Therapy interventions focus on daily living activities such as dressing, eating and personal hygiene skills. Communication and mobility retraining are also priorities.

Nutrition services: Residents participate in meal selection and menus are developed in consideration of both personal preference and special dietary requirements or restrictions. A spacious dining room is open to all residents and a private dining room is available for special family celebrations.

Recreation: Bruceville Terrace offers one of the most diverse activities programs for skilled-nursing facilities in the region. Full-time activities staff encourage participation in regular events and activities designed to improve quality of life. Crafts, games, classes and special celebrations are scheduled daily. Residents are encouraged to develop and cultivate their own interests and hobbies.

Family education: Family members are a key part of each resident’s care team. Bruceville Terrace educates families about ongoing care, as well as provides training for those who return home.

Skilled nursing in a comforting environment

Bruceville Terrace

“Bruceville Terrace is the nicest place... The staff treats me so well. Thanks to them, I’m almost ready to dance as I am getting stronger every day.”

—Lillie, resident since 2004

“Bruceville Terrace is a very family-friendly facility. We are very happy to have our daughter there. She has been a resident for 20 years, and has received very good attention and care.”

—Barbara and Paul Smilanich

Studies have shown that use of common areas in skilled-nursing facilities can reduce bedsores and improve wound care; patients spend less time lying in their beds and more time moving to and from common areas and seating options. Perhaps more important, enriched common areas provide more opportunities for socialization and activity, reducing isolation and depression among patients.

Because common spaces at Bruceville Terrace are outdated, many patients prefer to spend time in their rooms. The facility seeks to eliminate loneliness and helplessness, as well as reduce preventable incidents such as choking, bedsores, isolation and depression, by renovating its common areas. Philanthropic support is needed to create an enriched indoor and outdoor living space with functional and aesthetic details that, together, create comforts of home. Specific needs include:

Garden and patio renovation Support is needed to make this inoperable outdoor space usable and wheelchair-accessible for residents and guests. Specific funding needs include construction and landscaping costs to repair concrete and and create a healing garden. Support also would fund gardening plots to offer patients the healing activity of creating life by cultivating flowers, plants and vegetables.

Palliative care room enhancements Bruceville Terrace seeks to create a more homelike, comforting environment for patients and families at end-of-life. Charitable support will fund enhancements to existing rooms, including convertible chairs for family members wanting to stay overnight; artwork; curtains; bedspreads; flameless candles; meditative music; and other details to create a special space for patients.

Lobby renovation Bruceville Terrace’s lobby carpet is the original flooring, laid more than 25 years ago. Furniture in this space also is more than 25 years old. Support is needed to update and convert the large lobby into a welcoming living and activity space for residents, short-term patients and visitors. Areas for support include construction and materials costs to remove the carpet and install laminate flooring, as well as new furniture, such as bookcases and gaming tables for residents to play cards, dominoes and other games.

Dining room enhancements Philanthropic support is needed to “de-institutionalize” Bruceville Terrace’s dining room by creating a homelike environment that would make residents look forward to mealtime. An inviting space would entice them to take their meals out of their rooms, decreasing isolation, depression and choking incidents. Specific funding needs include adjustable dining tables to accommodate varying wheelchair heights; partitions to create a private dining space for families; and food carts to offer guests a choice of foods, empowering them to make decisions on their own and giving them a measure of control over their lives.

Music and art therapy Music and art therapy have been shown to enhance memory and improve cognitive function and motor skills. Charitable support will enable Bruceville Terrace to enhance its existing program by funding such needs as musical instruments for sensory stimulation; art supplies, including adjustable easels and adaptive art equipment such as specialized paint brushes for stroke patients; and CD/MP3 players for common areas to keep at-risk residents engaged and mentally stimulated in one common space, decreasing incidents of injury in their rooms.

Help to furnish comfort

To learn more about Bruceville Terrace and Mercy Foundation, contact:

Lisa HumeChief Philanthropy Officer(916) 681-1861 | Lisa.Hume@chw.edu