Thursday 30 January 2014

Selecting A Skilled Nursing Facility

By Kristana Jenson


Nursing homes go by many names, and they are known as skilled nursing facilities, rest homes, elder care homes and even rehabilitation centers. Most nursing homes provide both long-term and short-time care for a variety of people, both young and old. There are many reasons why people reside in nursing homes and if you need to select a nursing home for a loved one, here is some important information.

Short-term care is one of the services provided at a nursing home, and you might need this for any number of reasons. Sometimes a car accident causes injuries that require constant medical care and rehabilitative services but not at the high level a hospital provides. Once a patient is stable, a nursing home is a place where a person can receive care and also attend physical, occupational and speech therapy as needed. Other instances when a nursing home is needed might be after a stroke or after a bad fall, when bones have been broken. A nursing home can provide the round-the-clock assistance and care more easily than you can in your own home.

Many times, however, long-term care is what people are seeking out when they look for a nursing home. Sometimes a person is suffering from a fatal disease, such as cancer or AIDS or emphysema and needs a great deal of medical care. Other people might have severe dementia or Alzheimer's and need both daily care as well as some level of security. While we might want to care for our loved one at home, this simply is not an option for many people. After all, we lack nursing and medical training and may not even have any type of space in our home that will work for even in-home hospice care.

Another reason why one might look for a nursing home facility is to provide care for an individual who has reached a point where it has become difficult for them to take care of their daily needs. This might include forgetting to eat or to take medication or perhaps they lack the physical strength or coordination to bathe, dress or handle other personal tasks. The staff at the nursing home can handle these tasks, as well as providing meals and housekeeping services and laundry services. Unlike assisted living facilities, most nursing homes will take Medi-Cal as full or partial payment which can make this the most affordable care option for someone with a tight budget.

Before selecting a nursing home, you will need to compile a list of several and do some thorough research. You can begin by using an eldercare placement website such as CarePlacement.com, as well as asking friends, family and perhaps nurses and doctors for recommendations. Create a list of questions to ask the staff at each facility and write down the answers you get as well as making notes of your general impressions. Check to see if the facility looks clean and that the staff is not only friendly to you on this initial visit but also that there is a good rapport between staff and the residents. If possible, locate a facility that is close enough for many friends and family members to visit.

Nursing homes have often been considered fairly stark and institutional, but you can find facilities that go beyond a hospital setting. Most nursing homes offer a variety of activities for residents, so be sure to check out all of the amenities. If you know someone who is a resident of the home, take a moment to visit them and see if they are happy with the service and staff at the home. It can make the transition into a nursing home much easier if your loved one already knows someone in residence.




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