Alternative Long-Term Care Solutions

It is a known fact that only about four percent, i.e., one in twenty five of the elderly live in a nursing facility at any point of time. It is also a known fact that 1 out of 5 persons aged 65 and above have self care and/or mobility limitations and 1 out of 9 have mental/cognitive deficiencies. On the whole, a substantial population of the elderly require some form of long-term care even if they do not live in a nursing institution. And the older they get, the more their likelihood of requiring such assistance. What are the sources of long-term care that is typically available other than a nursing home.
 

Caring For The Elderly

For some people it is easy for them to accept the fact that they will have to go in for long term nursing care. Probably they are the ones who have an easy going disposition that is capable of adjusting with change. A number of people have mulled over the matter and have prepared themselves for the inevitable.

The kind of care required could range from just a rehabilitation facility to help the person return to better health to shifting into a full time nursing care facility. Virtually all of America now has various private and Government run nursing homes for the care of the elderly. A local survey will undoubtedly reveal a variety of practical and affordable solutions for the care of the elderly.

 

Characteristics of Good Nursing Homes

Commonly know as a Nursing Home, a place familiar to everyone, it is also known technically as a Skilled Nursing Unit (SNU) or a Skilled Nursing Facility(SNF). The three terms are interchangeable and denote the same kind of institution.

What is a nursing home and what is its primary function? The primary objective of a nursing home is to function as a rest home – a resting place for its residents where they can be cared for and where they can live a relaxed and near normal life. These residents usually require round the clock care. They can be both young and old, but usually there is an age limit of 18 years for admission. These residents either have some kind of disability or some sort of deficiency.

 

Choosing A Nursing Home

Though placing a near and dear one in a nursing facility is a hard and emotional decision, it may have to be necessarily done and at the right time. And when doing so, it would be better if you had done your homework. Instincts also help.

The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that more then 1.50 million individuals are being provided with care in nursing homes. Of these, more that 90% of them are above 65 years of age and most of them are frail and need 24/7 supervision due to dementia.

 

Insurance For Long Term Care

With the myriad of options to choose from, Long Term Care Insurance (LTC) becomes quite complex. Purchase too little your money is wasted; purchase at a wrong time and you end up paying too much. Get it from the wrong company, you might be in for a future shock. Nevertheless, proper acquisition of LTC Insurance will ensure that you have peace of mind.

Insurance companies are not only targeting people nearing retirement for long term health care or assisted living but also the younger generation in their early fifties or even younger as they are viewed as the aging of America and a potential business area to be exploited.

 

Long Term Health Care – A New Definition

Ask any advisor about “Long-Term Care” and most of them will attach the term “Insurance” to it. But what, at their peril, they may be ignoring is that individuals now have a longer life expectancy, that long-term care insurance does not even adequately cover the required assistance and that the price of such aid could shoot down the best coneived retirement and estate plans.

In fact, when we tried to learn more about this kind of insurance, we discovered that most policies inadequate to cover for the requirements of elderly clients. As such, we began to create a new definition of the term that would reflect a much broader array of services that would help clients age with.

Misconceptions About Long Term Care In Nursing Homes

Long term care for a resident in a nursing home is not easy, specially when it comes to paying for the medical attention and the facilities that they enjoy. The average monthly cost runs as high as $6,500. Most people, if they can possibly avoid it, wouldn’t prefer to reside in a nursing home. Home care or assisted living is equally expensive. There are some widespread misunderstandings about long term care.

1. My nursing home bill will be covered by Medicare – False. Medicare is a Federal Program. Even for temporary nursing home stays, the program gives only partial coverage and it does not give any coverage for long term stays

 

Negligence in Medical Practice and Abuses in Nursing Homes

Irrecoverable physical, mental and financial damage can be caused to people because of medical negligence, malpractice and abuse in the nursing home. The condition of a patient an be worsened because of delayed or wrong diagnosis, wrong medication, un-sterilized clinical and surgical instruments, surgical mistakes, use of untested blood etc. by doctors or by the nursing home authorities.

The upshot of which is that the patient gets shoddy treatment. This, not only harms the individuals, but also the reputation of the medical and health care professions.

On the positive side, the law permits the victims of medical negligence to file suit against the guilty party.

 

Nursing Shortage - A Concern To Many

America is in the midst of a kind of crisis – Nursing Shortage. A scarcity that is expected to worsen as there is an increase in the need for nursing care and baby boomers age. Enrollment in Nursing Schools have fallen to such a degree that it is feared that the graduating nurses may not meet the projected demands for them, thus complicating matters further.

Relying on a recent survey, it is now common knowledge that a nursing shortage is in the offing and this shortage is seen as a critical issue. It is the opinion of about 75% of the American population that there is a shortage of qualified nurses and that this is not only an vital health care concern but that it will have a negative impact on health care services. The survey indicates that 81% of Americans are acutely aware of this shortage and 65% consider that this shortage is touching crisis levels.

 

Selecting A Nursing Home

It is always a heart-wrenching ordeal when you have to decide to place a near and dear one in a nursing facility and deciding when to do so is crucial. The major deciding factors are: failure to control bodily functions, loss of memory or the incapability to carry out day-to-day activities like cleaning and dressing etc. The rate of aging, physical and mental, are not the same.

Never force someone into a nursing facility. Discuss the matter. If possible, take the concerned person along when you search for a proper home. Non-profit organizations like churches, charities and fraternal orders have the best reputations, a high nurse-to-patient ratio and long wait-lists.

 

The Best Health Care In The World – Do We Have It?

America is supposed to have the best health care system in the world. So said the former two Presidents and a high ranking member of the Special Committee on Aging. But do we? Like most other truisms, everything lies on a definition, that is, what we mean by the best. If an individual is privileged to be a member of an employer sponsored health plan he or she will say that we have the best health plan in the world. Not so the many uninsured in the country. Nearly 44 millions who are dying from lack of quality health care.

 

The Search For A Nursing Home Of Excellence

Just as great care is taken while purchasing a house, comparable care has to be taken while searching for a Nursing Home of excellence to move or to help a loved one into. The actual choosing of a nursing home is a stupendous decision that hardly anyone bargains for.

It is rather difficult to decide as to which is a great nursing home and which is just a “good” one and also which one will keep the resident’s interests in view. The ultimate aim is to be well cared for, safe and comfortable.

To help make a decision, here are some things to keep in mind which will help to identify the facilities that are dedicated to the welfare of your loved one by creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.