Making the choice to turn to nursing home care can be
heart-wrenching--and choosing between nursing homes can
be frustrating. But it is one of the most important
choices you can make for your loved one, so take your
time to ensure your choice is the best one possible.
What is Nursing Home Care?
Nursing homes, often called Skilled Nursing
Facilities, provide round-the-clock care for those whose
conditions require nursing care, but don't call for the
intensive care of a hospital setting. In addition to
medical care, nursing homes provide custodial care, or
help with day-to-day activities such as bathing,
dressing, and eating.
When to Choose Nursing Home Care
Skilled nursing facilities are available for
long-term care and short-term care. For patients who are
recovering from an illness or injury, nursing homes can
provide short term care until the patient is ready to go
home. Long-term care is meant for those with more
serious medical issues. Either way, admission to a
nursing home traditionally requires a doctor's order.
Five Considerations When Choosing a Nursing Home
Choosing a nursing home is not an easy task, and you
might not know where to begin. If you're unsure, it's
always best to start with the basics:
- What Does Your Loved One Need? Talk to their
physician about what kind of care is required. How
long they be in the nursing home? What can they do
for themselves? How intense are their medical needs?
For instance, caring for a patient with diabetes is
very different than dealing with an Alzheimer's
patient. What skilled nursing facilities can meet
those health care goals?
- What Can You Afford? A few weeks or months of
short-term care might be covered by Medicare, but
long-term care may not be. Medicaid and private
insurance might pay some of the costs, but quite a
bit of the financial burden could fall on the
family. If you aren't sure what you can afford, talk
to a financial advisor.
- Choose Nursing Homes to Visit. Narrow down the
nursing homes in your area that meet your specific
requirements, and then dive into research. Read the
inspection reports for every facility you are
considering. If your loved one is capable of making
their own decisions, discuss the nursing home
options with them and listen to their opinion.
- Visit the Nursing Homes. Plan to see the nursing
homes you have selected. Talk to the administrators,
speak to the staff, and say hello to the residents.
Ask to see the private areas as well as the public
ones. Arrive with a checklist of questions to ask,
and don't accept vague or delayed answers.
- Compare Notes. Sit down with your loved one and
look at the information you have gathered about each
nursing home. Include inspection reports, and
consider doing a litigation search as well. Once you
have the answers you need, you can make an informed
decision.
