Know Your Nursing Home Options and Alternatives
As you navigate life, there will come a time when you have to decide the best option for you or a loved one when it comes to nursing care. After a hospital visit or accident, you may find yourself needing extra hands-on care or rehabilitation to get better. Before you decide a nursing home is the best choice, it’s important that you know your nursing home options and alternatives. These different choices can help you keep yourself, or a family member, as safe as possible.
In Home Care
In home care is by far the safest option for an individual in need of nursing assistance or rehabilitation care. While this is the least discussed option in healthcare settings, it can be the most empowering for the individual needing care. To stay in an area that is familiar to them makes all the difference.
For injuries or assistance with daily tasks, having an in-home health aid make visits throughout the week to help when necessary allows the individual to keep their independence. For more extensive health issues or injuries, there are 24-hour home health options available. Medicare Part A covers home care when a client is homebound and has a skilled need. M壯陽藥 edicare Part B can provide physical therapy and/or occupational therapy in the home, even when a client is not homebound.
Private health insurance likely won’t pay for non-medical in-home care services, and in-home skilled care is rarely covered at 100% of the cost. Check with your loved one’s health insurance provider as coverage varies from plan to plan, and research prospective policies for the best coverage options. You can also purchase long-term care insurance from private companies to cover the cost of in-home services.
Using a life insurance policy can also help cover the cost of in-home services. You can use live insurance to pay for care in a few different ways. Your options include taking a loan from the policy’s cash value as a cash advance or surrendering the policy in exchange for the cash value. VA health benefits or pension benefits for Veterans will also help cover some of the cost of in-home care.
Using private pay and/or other applying for financial assistance programs is an option as well. If you know your loved one is going to need long-term care in the future, it may be best to explore all options now so that you can save financially for the future, and begin looking into the financial assistance programs in your area.
Nursing Home Care
Putting your loved one or yourself in a nursing home is never an easy option. Many of us never think about this until we are faced with the decision. Although in-home care is the safest option, we understand that in some circumstances nursing homes are the only option available. Because of the systemic issues in the nursing home industry, advocacy is important. It is vital to find the time to advocate for your family member’s care. If you are entering a facility it is vital to find someone who can advocate on your behalf.
Within the first 48-hours of being admitted to a nursing home, it is important to request a care-plan meeting. This is imperative to start receiving the care necessary to improve the quality of life. The next step is to install a camera in your room, or your loved ones room. To ensure they are being treated safely and appropriately, installing a camera gives you eyes on your loved one 24/7.
The next step is to visit as often as possible. Visiting once a month, or even once every few weeks, can be dangerous to a nursing home resident. It is important the facility feels and acts accountable for the care they provide. Without family or friends checking on, and advocating for, their loved one, the nursing home lacks accountability in care. This accountability is necessary so the facility treats each resident with the care they deserve.
Within the first week of the stay, gather staff phone numbers and information to utilize in case of emergency. Make sure you have the contact information of the administrator, DON, facility physician (if applicable), and social worker. If resident has a DNR, it needs to be printed off and put visibly in the room. Write the name of the resident on all clothing and belongings, and keep a personal itemized list of items.
Someone should be available to watch the camera frequently, visit often, and attend meetings about the care of the resident.
Skilled Facility Care
Skilled facility care is often short, depending on the insurance of the resident. If possible, consider using an in-home provider to supply rehabilitation so the individual can stay at home. If skilled care in a facility is the only option, the steps listed above for nursing home care need to be followed as well.
Rehabilitation Facility Care
In a rehab setting, following the protocol listed for nursing homes or skilled facilities is important. Although it’s not as dangerous as the two, rehabilitation centers still pose a risk to residents. It is important to have an advocate and monitoring system in place.
Further Recommendations
Each situation is different resulting in different methods for care and advocating. If you have any questions about what is best for yourself or your loved one, please contact A Perfect Cause here. Advocacy is the most vital factor in care management, and it is vital to know your nursing home options and alternatives.