9 Best Nursing Homes in Fort Smith, AR

Nursing Homes

A nursing home community provides lodging to at least two individuals who have no personal relation to the administrator. A nursing home community provides its occupants with around-the-clock care by registered nurses. These nurses provide personal care, maintenance and other health related services for those who are unable to take care of their own needs.

This type of community is a helpful and comfy care choice for individuals 65 years or older, however nursing homes will frequently accept persons 55 and greater (a rarity in the realm of senior care).Nursing homes are required to provide dietary services, medically-related social services, a professionallly directed program of activities, and emergency dental services to residents. Often times individuals might choose life in a nursing home due to a mental or physical disability that makes it difficult for them to accomplish their lifestyle goals. There are some services that may come at a cost to residents which can include cosmetic and grooming items, personal clothing, and specially prepared food. Types of care services and amenities offered at nursing homes might include bill pay, monitoring of medication, rehabilitation needed due to injury, disability, or illness, and adult day services . The most common mental condition experienced by nursing home residents is dementia, which can cloud their and their sense of familiarity, decision making abilities, and memory function.

Local Hospitals and Health Care Providers

Access to hospitals can be an important factor when deciding the right choice. The top hospitals that service Fort Smith include Mercy Hospital Fort Smith and Sparks Medical Center – Fort Smith. In total, there are 2 hospitals located in Fort Smith which offer emergency services and other healthcare.

Cost of Living

Senior living community price is influenced by the city in which it is located. In Fort Smith, the cost of living index is 80.2 based on an average rating of 100, where any score under 100 is less costly than the national average. Fort Smith has a grocery price index of about 89.6. The sales tax in Fort Smith is 6.50%.

Regional Climate and Weather Information

Weather can be a big influence in determining which location is right for your family. Fort Smith has a humid subtropical type of climate. Monthly, Fort Smith gets about 4 inches of precipitation. The most rain historically falls in May with an average of 7 inches during the month. For snowfall, Fort Smith receives an average of 4.10 inches of snow in a year. In the summer, the temperature in Fort Smith is about 83F. The low summer temperature drops to approximately 69F in the month of June. The summer high rises to around 96F during the month of July. In the winter, the average air temperature drops to roughly 44F. The peak winter temperature is about 59F in the month of February. The low winter temperature is approximately 29 F in the month of January. The average humidity level for Fort Smith is approximately 70%. Humidity ratings peak in the month of May at roughly 73%. On average, the air quality index rating in Fort Smith is about 39.4. The average AQI conditions are rated as good. This means that there is no health advisory associated with the air quality for this destination. The air quality index score is at its max in the month of May at about 50.7. During this time, the average air quality conditions are rated moderate. This means that those who are unusually sensitive should consider limiting the amount of time spent on outdoor exertion.

Demographics and Values

Of the population of Fort Smith 6.5% have a graduate degree, 30.1% have a high-school diploma, and 20.1% have a college degree. During the previous presidential election, 65.3% voted Republican, 7.2% voted for a third party candidate, and 27.6% voted Democrat in Sebastian county. Racially, the population of Fort Smith is 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 1.0% Native American, 5.0% mixed race, 5.9% Asian, 9.6% black, 70.4% white, 18.8% Hispanic, and 8.1% other or not specified. In Fort Smith, 30.3% are nonbelievers. In terms of Christian denominations, out of the total population of Fort Smith 30.1% are Baptists, 11.5% practice another Christian faith, and 9.9% practice Catholicism. In terms of non-Christian denominations in Fort Smith, out of the total population 0.1% practice Judaism, 0.5% practice an Eastern religion, and 0.5% practice Islam. In Fort Smith, 7.7% of the citizens are veterans of the United States armed forces. Fort Smith is considered very unfriendly to members of the LGBTQ+ community. In terms of crime, Fort Smith has 51.2 property crimes per 1000 residents and 8.9 violent crimes per 1000 residents. Fort Smith has a population density of 537 people per square mile. The current population of Fort Smith is shrinking at a rate of 0.000%. Based on gender, 51.3% are female and 48.7% are male. The median age of Fort Smith is 36 years old. In Fort Smith, 25.7% of the population are over the age of 55, 10.9% are over the age of 60, 5.7% are over the age of 70, and 3.6% are over the age of 80. In Fort Smith, 18.7% have some form of disability, 6.3% are widows, 58.4% participate in the labor force, and 14.9% do not have health insurance.

State Information

An overview of Arkansas

The quality of life enjoyed by the average Arkansas citizen is ranked 45th nation-wide. Additionally, Arkansas is ranked 49th by standards of healthcare. Out of a national average of 100, Arkansas has a cost of living index rating of 88, a grocery index rating of 92, and a housing index rating of 74. The natural beauty of Arkansas is ranked 19th in the nation. The state of Arkansas has 88 hospitals and 130 health centers, providing care to a population of 3,024,692. The top three hospitals in the state are considered to be Arkansas Heart Hospital, Llc, Arkansas Surgical Hospital, and And Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas.

Social demographics of the state

In terms of diversity, Arkansas ranks 33rd in the nation. The median age in the state is 38, and 30% of the population is over the age of 55. Forty-one percent of Arkansas residents regularly attend a religious service from one of the state’s 6,697 different congregations. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-<1%, Muslim-2%, and Buddhist-<1%, with the most common Christian denominations consisting of Evangelical Protestant-46%, Mainline Protestant-16%, and Historically Black Protestant-8%. In Arkansas there are 361 masonic lodges. In the most recent presidential election, 61% of Arkansas residents voted Republican and 34% voted Democrat.

State-wide weather information

On average, Arkansas has an air quality index rating of around 38.8 AQI. The highest seasonal air quality index rating occurs in the month of July with a rating of 47.9 AQI. The average temperature in the winter falls to around 41F. The average high winter temperature is around 60F in the month of February. In the winter months, the average low temperature falls to around 22F during the month of January. During the summer, the average temperature in Arkansas is around 79F. The average high summer temperature is around 95F in the month of July. The average low summer temperature is around 60F in the month of June. On average, the humidity rating for Arkansas is around 71%. Humidity levels tend to reach their peak in the month of May at around 73%. The average amount of precipitation peaks during the month of May at around 6.85 inches. On average, the state receives 4.23 inches of precipitation a month. While residents of Arkansas mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in Arkansas can include earthquakes (moderate) and tornadoes.

Wildlife to be found in Arkansas

The state of Arkansas has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of Mexican juniper, cypresses, tulip trees, and mink. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the catfish, the bobwhite quail, the mourning dove, or the eastern wild turkey. The state animal of Arkansas is the white-tailed deer.