We will attempt in this post, to review resources which are
available to help you make a decision of this kind, whether the situation is a hurried
one or not. Making such a decision
depends, in large measure, on the condition of the parent and what types of
care or treatment will be required for their individual circumstances. It will largely depend on whether they are
injured due to a broken hip, or other disabling condition, suffering from
Alzheimer’s or other form of dementia, or other conditions.
There is a growing amount of information available online to
assist in this process. At the federal
government level, there are many resources to assist.
The website, http://www.eldercare.gov/eldercare.NET/Public/index.aspx
is a good place to begin. You can either
search by location or by topic to find resources available in your state or
city. There are a large number of resources
listed on this site which address many of the concerns and problems faced by
care givers to our aging populations.
Additionally, to assist with evaluating potential nursing
homes, a publication called, Your Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home, (http://www.medicare.gov/pubs/pdf/02174.pdf) presents a
fairly complete outline of considerations when attempting to evaluate a place
for an aging parent. Subjects such as “Choosing the Type of Care
You Need” to “Steps to Choosing a Nursing Home” are included.
The Nursing Home Checklist (http://www.medicare.gov/nursing/checklist.asp)
will also provide many ideas for evaluating and screening potential facilities.
The federal government also funds state level Ombudsmen to
assist in these matters. The National
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center website (http://www.aging.state.nv.us/) will
allow you to find these resources in your state. For Nevada, that contact information can be
found here. (http://www.aging.state.nv.us/) The Las Vegas office of the Ombudsman can be
called at (702) 486-3545. Concerns ranging
from finding an appropriate care facility to reporting cases of elder abuse can
be directed to the State Ombudsman’s office.
Among non-government agencies, there are many advocacy
groups that can also provide assistance.
The Consumer Voice provides a Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home .
( http://www.theconsumervoice.org/sites/default/files/advocate/A-Consumer-Guide-To-Choosing-A-Nursing-Home.pdf ) This organization also provides private ombudsman
services to families and residents of nursing facilities. Another privately funded website provides a
registry and grading of nursing homes is http://www.memberofthefamily.net/. This site provides listings of Medicare and
Medicaid certified nursing homes and grades various aspects of the operations
of the nursing home.
Beyond these and other resources that you may uncover in
your search for a nursing home, many of the considerations you may want or need
to consider have to do with costs.
Medicare will only pay for medically necessary care in a nursing
home. It will not pay for non-medical
everyday assistance with normal living.
If your loved one needs assistance with walking or eating, these things
are not covered. Most nursing home costs
are paid out of personal savings, social security benefits, Long Term Care
(LTC) insurance benefits, or Medicaid if
the patient qualifies. Nursing home
costs are estimated to average $200 per day for patients, and this doesn’t
include cost for treatment needed for additional services, such as dementia
care, for example. Long Term Care
insurance must be purchased and in force, prior to your loved one’s need for
services.
Once you’ve done the initial research, nothing replaces
visiting the facility and seeing for yourself.
Visit often and at various unexpected times, to be sure that the facility
is the type of environment you would want your parent or loved one to be
exposed to. Considerations include
turnover rate of personnel in the home.
Does the home offer “consistent assignment” which means do nurses and
aids treat the same patients on most of their shifts. Consistency and familiarity are important
considerations for your loved one.
Relationships built between patient and nursing home staff can provide a
measure of security for your loved one.
If a home employs a high number of temporary workers, or turnover is
high, that consistency can be lost.
Four items to think about in any nursing home placement
include, how convenient is the home to all family members, quality of care for
chronic conditions including dementia and/or physical disability, supportive
environment for the potential resident, and do costs fall within an affordable
range. And once this decision is made
and your parent or grandparent is now in such a facility, keeping an eye open
for negligence or even abuse is important.
Unfortunately, this is a growing problem as our population ages and
requires higher levels of care. So if
such a thing should happen to your loved one, the services of a trusted
attorney may be required. Our firm does
provide such services, and more information can be found here. (http://www.richardharrislaw.com/personal-injury/nevada-nursing-home-abuse-lawyer.php)
Additional resources:
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