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Choosing the Right Long Term Care Facility |
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As we grow older, we are often faced with decisions concerning our well being and how long staying in our homes is feasible. Many are able to spend a good portion in their homes, but as they approach their 80s and 90s, some of the everyday tasks of keeping up a home become challenging. Additionally, everyday needs like shopping, cooking, or bathing may become more taxing and require assistance. The question now arises as to what should be done and how to choose the right long term care facility and environment to meet our daily needs.
To start, the addition of home health care products and aides, such as hand rails or grab bars are no longer as effective and the planned home health aide that visits everyday is needed for longer periods of time each day. Where do you go for help?
There are 2 kinds of senior living based upon how much help is needed, assisted living facilities and skilled nursing facilities (or nursing homes). When considering an assisted living facility, questions that may help identify this choice is how much medical care is needed, can I live independently if someone provides meals and house cleaning, and do I need help going to the doctor or shopping mall. If the answer is yes to these types of questions, then assisted living may be the answer you seek when choosing your long term care facility options.
However, if you require more attention than just limited daily assistance, such as suffering from loss of strength (frail) or later stages of dementia, more care is needed and thus you should review nursing home (or skilled nursing facility) options. If your loved one needs around the clock nursing, may wander away without supervision, needs helps with meals, personal care, medications, and cannot live alone, then a nursing home is the solution to your long term care needs, as they provide 24 hour services and supervision.
The next step, once you have determined your type of long term care needs, is asking questions to find out what is available in your area. Seek assistance in this decision from your doctors, friends, relatives, local discharge planner, social workers, or religious organizations, as you do not need to make this decision on your own. Additionally, each state has a Long Term Care Ombudsman that can supply information and answer questions about a long term care facility that you are considering.
Once you have an idea of where you want to go, call and schedule an appointment for an informational tour, availability of openings, number of residence, residence to caregiver ratio, costs, and safety. It is important to consider the activities offered, as entering a long term care facility doesn't mean sacrificing a social agenda. Keep in mind the transportation availability, ask to sample a meal during a scheduled meal time, and be sure to take a full tour of the facility and its campus. It is also recommended to make an unscheduled visit to the facility in order to ensure that your previous visit wasn't a "dog and pony show" just to impress.
Finally, after all the details have been thoroughly review and all of your decisions have been completed, you can feel confident that you have chosen the right long term care facility. It is important to keep in contact with your loved ones, relatives, or close friends in case things don't work out as planned. Just because you have chosen one place, doesn't mean that it will always go the way you planned. Therefore, know your rights as a resident and don't be afraid to speak out in uncertain situations. Hopefully, through your due diligence and evaluations, you will not have to experience anything but happiness in the final years of your life and you can enjoy the later years of your life.
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