A Comprehensive Guide to Nursing Home Care
Table of Content
Introduction Test
Consider a situation where you or your loved one has been diagnosed with a severe illness and needs 24/7 medical care. This may range from standard therapies to recover from a surgery or need a skilled caregiver for injections and medications. Such long-term medical care to look after the physical and cognitive health mandates professional nurses to be at your side all the time. While you might consider getting the care at home, it is more feasible to seek medical care from a designated nursing care. This means that it is time for a nursing home for you where seniors who don't require hospitalization get excellent medical care in a residential care unit.
Choosing to move to a nursing home can be a difficult step in your life. It can be mentally daunting to lose a significant form of independence. You might have wished to grow old at your own place. Despite that, a nursing home allows you to get continuous care with many benefits in a senior care community and could be the best decision for your health. So, don't worry, BoomersHub is here to take the seniors through the process with the complete guide on a nursing home for seniors.
What Is a Nursing Home?
Nursing homes can be like assisted living but with complete medical care facilities. A nursing home care may have certified doctors, psychologists, therapists and 24/7 skilled nurses for senior patients. Also known as Convalescent Homes or Retirement Homes, these are specialized residential care facilities for seniors.
Nursing homes are also known as “Skilled Nursing Facility: or SNF. These institutes support seniors who require therapeutic, preventive, or rehab care. Nursing homes are senior residential care facilities. Seniors here do not require hospitalization but require 24-hour care that they cannot receive at home. Some nursing homes are formed like hospitals, with medical personnel on sight.
Short-term skilled nursing care facilities
Short-term care nursing homes are for individuals who require care after surgery, a sickness, or an injury. These residents are only there for a short time as they recover from an injury or recover from a hospital stay. Once they've recovered and achieved their doctor-ordered health and wellness goals, they return to their own homes. This group, which can include persons of various ages, makes up a modest percentage of nursing home residents.
Short-term nursing home rehabilitation services can include the following:
- Occupational, speech, and physical therapy for seniors
- Orthopedic rehabilitation.
- Services related to social and cognitive activities.
Long-term nursing care facilities
Long-term care nursing facilities are typically reserved for elderly people who are suffering from a chronic or fatal illness, as well as cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Long-term residents are usually there for the remainder of their lives and require continual monitoring and care. However, the nursing home is more than a facility for elderly individuals; it is their home. Therefore, to help seniors feel more at ease, some SNFs are intended to feel more like a home, with a warm, soothing ambiance with tranquil outdoor vistas and sitting places. Wound care, injections, monitoring blood pressure and heart rates, and IV therapy are examples of this type of care.
What Types of Services Are Offered in a Nursing Home?
Medical care with 24/7 medical supervision and assistance with activities of daily living, such as washing, dressing, using the restroom, and getting in and out of bed, are the primary services provided by skilled nursing facilities. If our senior loved ones require frequent physical or occupational therapy or continuous medical care, they might need to shift to a skilled nursing facility. Skilled nursing facilities have certified nurses for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, social services, and rehabilitation programs.
While nursing home facilities include both medical and non-medical care, the list of services differs from one facility to another. Below are some key services seniors might find in almost every nursing care facility.
Meal preparation
As seniors age, their body's need for healthy food rich in nutrition increases. Thus, seniors will need special care in the meal preparations. The facility prepares all the meals. There are also options in Nursing Homes to feed the residents. But, taking the food on their own is appreciated.
ADLs (Activities of Daily Life)
A Nursing Home supports essential daily activities. These include dressing, toileting, bathing, showering, self-feeding, and others.
An active life
An active lifestyle is essential for a happy life. Wellness programs are arranged in almost every Nursing Home for an active lifestyle. These programs help seniors to keep their body and mind vivid. Seniors are also able to interact with other residents to create social bonds.
Housekeeping
Our seniors loved ones will never have to worry about housekeeping when in a Nursing Home. The facility takes the responsibility of keeping the premises neat and clean. Seniors receive support for all housekeeping tasks, including laundry.
Medication support
Medication support is another standard service in all Nursing Homes. Seniors generally have various diseases and ought to be on some form of medication. The Nursing Home staff takes up all the responsibility, so they will never forget the dosages.
Care coordination
Care coordination entails planning patient care activities and sharing the care plan among all parties involved in the patient's care to provide safer and better care. This means knowing the needs and demands of the residents in a nursing home beforehand and communicating them with the right people. Some examples of care coordination include care management, teamwork, assessing patient needs, creating a care plan, and more.
What Are the Signs that It’s Time for Nursing Home?
Moving into a nursing home facility can be a very challenging decision. But it also brings numerous benefits for seniors. So, you need to be sure that the senior needs to move to a nursing home. Wondering about the signs? Here are some very common ones:
- They have been treated with a health condition and require care 24/7
- When they require someone to assist with mobility
- They are unable to care for themselves
- They have scheduled medications but fail to follow them
- They are frequently slipping and falling and getting injured
- When dementia condition takes a severe turn
If you're still unsure whether or not it's time to explore a nursing home for seniors, go through a regular day with your senior loved one and see how they cope. You can also inquire if anyone has observed any declines or notable changes that you should be aware of.
How Much Does a Nursing Home Cost?
There is no straightforward answer to this, as the cost of nursing home care can depend on multiple factors, including nursing home location, duration of stay, and care services required. Regardless of the nursing home costs, there are numerous ways for families to make this essential care more reasonable. Let's look at what you might expect to pay for nursing home care.
According to Genworth survey findings, the average cost of nursing home care per month for a semi-private room is $7,756. This means that the daily price hovers around $250 for the semi-private room. If seniors want a private room in a nursing home care facility, it will cost more. The daily cost of a private room in a nursing home is around $290. This sums up close to $9,000 monthly for a private room.
Genworth estimates that the affordability of nursing homes will decline. We have been experiencing this increasing trend for the last few years. Indeed, assuming forecasts hold true, the monthly cost of a semi-private room in a nursing home will be well over $10,000 by 2030, representing a nearly one-third rise. Annual costs for private rooms have already surpassed the six-figure mark. Here's a quick look at the previous, current, and estimated nursing home care costs:
Is nursing home care tax deductible?
Out-of-pocket nursing home payments are generally tax-deductible as itemized medical expenses in most circumstances. Medical expenditures, accommodation, and meals are all deductible if anyone of our senior dependent is in nursing care primarily for medical reasons. However, seniors who enter nursing homes for personal reasons rather than medical reasons will be able to deduct only the expenditures of genuine medical care, not meals or boarders.
How Do You Pay for a Nursing Home?
If you know the proper sources of payment, nursing home would become affordable to you. There are several options available for seniors to cover nursing home expenses. You can use any of the following or a mixture of two or more to pay for a nursing home.
Paying from your pocket
It's a common practice for people to pay for nursing home care with their own money at first. The most significant advantage of paying privately is that it allows you to be more flexible. Because nursing homes can limit the number of publicly-funded enrollees. Seniors with Medicare and other taxpayer-subsidized programs have fewer options. As a result, it's critical to understand the accepted payment methods before moving into a particular facility. Savings or money from cashing out IRAs and other investments could be sources of private finances.
State Health Insurance Program (SHIP)
Individuals who use Medicaid to pay for long-term care services can benefit from state-based long-term care partnership programs. Most states, such as Indiana's Long-Term Care Insurance Program and Arizona's Long-Term Care System, provide these supplemental programs to not have to spend all of their money to qualify for Medicaid.
Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
PACE is a program designed to help seniors in senior living communities. There are specific requirements to qualify for PACE. For one, the age requirement is 55+. Also, you must live in a PACE community and need Nursing Home-level care.
Long-term care insurance (LTCI)
Getting long-term care insurance can be a wise decision if a person is planning ahead of time to pay for a nursing home. When opposed to using Medicare or other public programs to pay for nursing home care, it gives you more options. It's crucial to understand that long-term care insurance policies differ when benefits are paid. In order to receive funding for nursing home care or assisted living, a person must require assistance with at least two daily activities. A doctor's statement confirming this necessity is required as part of the claim.
Bridge loan
Bridge loans can help seniors manage their living expenses. At the same time, they wait for a home sale, a pension payout, or another almost-certain source of income. Although a bridge loan is a short-term loan, the first payment is frequently not due for another 90 days after signing. The terms for a bridge loan usually range from three months to two years.
Veteran benefits
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers veterans privileges like aid and an attendance pension. Aid and Attendance pension, like Social Security, is predictable and paid directly to you by the Treasury Department. In-home care, board, and care, assisted living facilities, and private-pay nursing homes are all covered by this benefit.
Medicare for short-term nursing care
If a senior or their family is about to enter a nursing home, they should first see if Medicare will cover at least a portion of their stay. Medicare does not cover long-term care, so rehabilitation is not covered. Medicare will cover up to 100 days of skilled nursing facility care each benefit period. Medicare uses a benefit period to measure the length of stay in a hospital or skilled nursing facility.
Medicaid
Medicaid is an excellent choice for low-income senior citizens. This coverage helps people with a variety of medical needs, such as doctor visits, hospital stays, and long-term care services like those provided in a skilled nursing facility. Typically, this program pays 100 percent of these expenditures, although certain users may be required to make copayments. Nevertheless, this is the best option for nursing care coverage for those who qualify for Medicaid.
How to Get Someone Admitted to a Nursing Home?
Taking a loved one to a nursing home can be a difficult and emotional decision. You may feel guilty or uncomfortable about the transfer, and you may be concerned about your senior loved one's ability to adjust and receive the care they require. In addition, your family may not support your decision, or you may be unsure how to approach your parent about the move.
You can consider the points mentioned below to assist your family and your aging loved one feel more at peace and make the transition smooth.
Start by communicating about nursing home
It's time to call a family meeting if your elderly parent requires urgent medical attention. When deciding whom to include, think about your family dynamics. It could be a good idea to involve your elderly loved one if they are in good mental health.
Set aside time, free of distractions, to talk about their needs and possible answers. It's also crucial to be willing to have a series of discussions before your family decides on the best senior care option.
Plan ahead for moving day
If you're worried about moving day, make a plan ahead of time and consider hiring a professional to assist you with this significant adjustment. It's crucial to know how much space your loved one will have after moving into a nursing home before determining what to take. Before they arrive, make your loved one's new place feel more like home by adding familiar things and photos of family and friends. Arrange their stuff in a way that reminds them of their previous residence while avoiding clutter. Instead, attempt to create a soothing, relaxing environment for your loved one.
Handle the overflow of emotions
When your loved one is moving to a new residential care community, he or she will start feeling many things. The important task is to accept them and let them flow. Remind them that their loved ones and caregivers are there to support them. They just have to keep an open mind and be patient.
Another critical aspect of handling emotions is keeping in touch. Never lose contact with your loved ones, and constantly remind them that they can communicate with you anytime. This can immensely help them ease into the shift to a nursing home.
How to Choose the Best Nursing Home?
Choosing the right Nursing Home isn't an easy task. But there is some standard that can help you to make the right decision. Let's take a look into what defines a top-notch Nursing Home.
You can begin the search by getting into BoomersHub.com. You will immediately come across the search bar. Insert your preferred area, state, or zip code and find the best nursing home nearby. Our website will provide you with a complete list of properties available within your searched distance. You can check out the amenities, services, and ratings inside each of them.
BoomersHub also provides contact numbers and addresses of the facilities. Make sure you call them and request a visiting appointment with them. Also, if you want, BoomersHub’s expert advisors will guide you according to your requirements and schedule your appointments. In addition, you can consider the following questions when selecting the nursing home cares.
Questions to ask
- What is the main reason behind this move?
- How important is the location?
- Are you looking for specific needs that need to be checked?
- How much attention does the staff provide?
- What are the health and safety standards you’d like to see in place?
- Are there any recreational activities or something which would make it easier?
- How efficient is the facility at helping patients transition to their new environment?
- How effective are the staff and doctors available?
- What is the nursing home’s cost?
- When should an Alzheimer's patient go to a nursing home?
- Does Medicare pay for a nursing home?
- How can you get your loved one admitted to the nursing care facility?
- What qualifies a person for a nursing home?
Staff
The staff keeps the whole facility running. They're the lifeline of any Nursing Home. Thus, its staff is one of the leading quality indicators. The equation is simple: better personnel mean better service.
When touring a Nursing Home, consider staff turnovers, workload, and behavior. Also, try to determine their skillset. Staff with an appropriate workload will have more time to communicate with and focus on you. Staff members will be interested and interact warmly. The skilled team will handle any emergency better than an amateur.
Current residents
Another way to test a Nursing Home facility is to focus on the current residents. Try to know how they appear. Happy, active, and engaged residents display a better environment.
Ask them questions, try to interact with them to see how they respond. Try to observe their social gatherings. Also, try to be present during the meal. It'll let you know about the quality and timeliness of the meals served.
In-house facilities
Last but not least, try to discover the in-house facilities available at a Nursing Home. Consider asking yourself and finding out the answers to these questions:
- Does the facility look neat and clean?
- How is the meal prepared?
- What is their way of handling special dietary requirements?
- What are the events and activities arranged by the authority for the residents?
Ask questions and look for answers to find the best Nursing Home facility for you or your loved one. Also, consider factors like medical needs, specific health conditions, or distance from home.
To find the best Nursing Home facility, visiting selected facilities is most effective. It's a very straightforward process. All you need is some time and will. Our senior advisors will help plan the visit and fix a schedule for you. If you are looking for a facility for your loved ones, it might be wise to take them with you. Visiting the facility is helpful in understanding if it's the right fit.
Documentation Checklist Before Accessing a Nursing Home
Getting into Senior Living facilities like Independent Living is a straightforward procedure. But when it comes to Nursing Homes, the process gets a bit complex. First, you'll need proper documentation from the physician responsible for the senior and other related certificates.
Don't worry, though; we have prepared a checklist of the needed documentation:
- Up-to-date medical history and data
- Prescription for current medications and treatment
- Doctor's certification and order that you need Nursing Home support
- Negative report for TB and other contagious diseases
- State-required form prepared by the hospital or physician
- Birth certificate, social security card, discharge papers, or further proof of service for a retired defense person
- Medicare or Medicaid card and documentation
- All types of insurance papers
- Complete admission paperwork
- Complete financial assessment
Can You Check Yourself out of a Nursing Home?
What happens when seniors no longer want to live in a senior care facility? They may have changed their mind and want to get Home Care instead. Can seniors check out of a nursing home?
The answer is yes. They can check themselves out of a nursing home. All people have a right to movement. That right does not go away even when seniors are admitted into a Nursing Home. Their constitutional right to liberty allows them to refuse treatment from resident practitioners.
But a nursing home can refuse to discharge a patient. If a judge has declared a senior unfit to make their own decisions, the facility can legally prevent them from leaving. If a senior has been declared mentally incompetent, the Nursing Home can take legal action to have the court declare a danger to oneself and those around. In which case, a family member who has a power of attorney will take over the decision-making, or the facility will become the guardian.
So, it is crucial to make sure the doctor also signs off on this and agrees to check the progress. Then, you can speak to the administrator on behalf of your senior loved one and request to begin the procedure of checking him or her out.
Differences among Nursing Home and Other Senior Living Options
Nursing homes provide a high degree of medical and skilled nursing care not seen in other senior living facilities. While many senior living and care communities provide assistance with personal care and daily activities, only nursing homes offer residential and skilled nursing care for seniors who require specialized medical care throughout the day but do not require hospitalization.
Nursing Home vs Assisted Living
Although some seniors mistakenly believe that assisted living and nursing facilities are the same, they are not. Assisted living and nursing homes provide accommodation, meals, and assistance with ADLs. One of the most significant differences is that assisted living residents do not require expert nursing care like those in nursing facilities.
More on the differences between nursing homes and assisted living are shown in the table:
Nursing Home | Assisted Living |
Focused on ADL, IADL, and full-time medical assistance for any elderly patient. | Focused on ADL and IADL assistance |
Skilled nursing availability is 24/7 | Skilled nursing availability is limited |
Professional medical supervision is always available | Professional medical supervision is limited |
Minimal home-like environment, with more security to prevent wandering or getting lost | Home-like environment, comparable to residential apartments or hotels |
Nursing Home vs Independent Living
Nursing homes and independent living differ significantly in terms of their core services. A nursing home mainly focuses on expert nursing care for seniors. More on the differences between nursing homes and independent living are shown in the table:
Nursing Home | Independent Living |
Focused on ADL, IADL, and full-time medical assistance for Alzheimer’s, dementia, or amnesia patients. | Very minimal personal care on ADLs |
Skilled nursing availability is 24/7 | Skilled nursing facilities are not available on-site |
Professional medical supervision is always available | Professional medical supervision is not available on-site |
Minimal home-like environment, with more security to prevent wandering or getting lost | Complete home-like atmosphere, similar to luxury apartments or condos |
Nursing Home vs Home Care
If we put them side by side, nursing care and home care may seem quite similar. Seniors can receive home nursing care from professional nurses after an operation or injury. But nursing homes are designed to provide around-the-clock medical care in a separate residential setting than the senior’s own home.More on the differences between nursing homes and home care are shown in the table:
Nursing Home | Home Care |
Focused on ADL, IADL, and full-time medical assistance for any elderly patient. | Focused on on-call ADL, IADL, and medical assistance |
Skilled nursing availability is 24/7 | Skilled nursing availability is only on-call |
Professional medical supervision is always available | Professional medical supervision is only for special cases |
Minimal home-like environment, with more security to prevent wandering or getting lost | Receive care from the comfort of their own homes |