Have you been the primary caregiver for your elderly parent in your home? Are you concerned that the level of care that your elderly parent may now require may be getting beyond your ability to safely care for him or her in your own home? In addition, because you have a full time job, has this responsibility become too time-consuming?
We know and understand these challenges and realize that the next option may be to consider placing your loved one in a long-term care facility. However, now there is another concern, how can you find the right one?
First, inquire whether the nursing home you are looking into has been Medicare-certified. You must only look into Medicare-certified nursing homes. This certification will help guide your expectations for care and help you manage the financial aspect of the transition more comfortably.
There are, however, other factors that you should consider, as well, so that you can make the best decision for you and your elderly parent. We will give you questions to ask that you may not have thought about before, right here on our blog.
Is the location of the facility important? Yes. Be sure that there are family members, friends, or neighbors who live nearby. Finding a facility that can allow continuing personal and community relationships will allow a smooth transition for your elderly parent and enable him or her to not be lonely.
Have you requested a list of fees and costs, including services, charges, and fees before your elderly parent moves into the nursing home? In fact, if the nursing home is Medicare-certified, then the nursing home must tell you about these services in writing. This information can help you make an informed decision about the right facility for your loved one and you can use this information as you visit other facilities to compare nursing home costs.
Have you looked up the ratings and safety of the facility you are interested in? This information is critical. Be sure to use tools, such as on Medicare Nursing Home Compare, to look at local facilities. These tools will be able to help you answer crucial questions about whether or not the nursing home has the appropriate staffing to handle the number of residents that live there and more.
Does your loved one require extra medical attention? For instance, you should ask the home you are considering if it can provide transport for your elderly parent to see his or her doctors? You need to find out whether or not it is included in the breakdown of the fees.
We realize that there are many other things you may want to investigate before you place your elderly parent in a nursing home, but we feel that the questions mentioned above are a good place to start. Do not hesitate to schedule an in-person visit, as well, to see the facility firsthand. The Medicare Nursing Home Compare website can also help provide more information when making this very important decision.
At Britton G. Swank, P.A., our mission is to guide you in the right direction to help you provide for yourself and your loved ones no matter what the future holds. We want to help you control the assets you have, leave them to people and causes you care about, when you want, in the way you want. We can help you take care of yourself and those you love in the event of disability due to illness, injury or old age. No matter what risks unfold, we can help give you the comfort of knowing you are prepared. We want you to feel good about your future and the future of your loved ones. We encourage you to contact us and schedule a meeting.