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Nursing Homes
No one wants to end up in a nursing home, and despite what you may have heard, most of our seniors don't live out their last days in nursing homes. Sometimes there is no choice, however.
How do you know when a nursing home would be the best choice for your elder? How do you find the best nursing home, and how do you pay for something that could cost more than $100,000 a year in some parts of the country?
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Find a Nursing Home in a Hurry
More than half of nursing home admissions come directly from hospitals. Most hospital social workers and discharge planners do not really know much about the nursing homes where they discharge their patients. For that reason, they will rarely "recommend" a nursing home for either rehabilitation or long-term care unless it's a rehabilitation area within their own hospital. More commonly, they will hand you a list of facilities and suggest that you make a choice, preferably by the next day . . . keep reading
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Will Nursing Homes Take Someone Younger Than 65?
My husband's sister suffered a stroke when she was 32. Their parents have taken care of her at home, but now she is 48, they are in their 70s, and we can tell it is wearing them down. My husband says nursing homes only take older people and we will have to take her into our home and care for her until she is 65. Is this true? I work full time and have two children . . . keep reading
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Chandeliers Don't Care
One of our favorite sayings is, "Chandeliers don't care." Chandeliers may add beauty to your loved one's environment, but it's the people in the trenches who make life worth living in an assisted living residence or nursing facility. All the chandeliers in the world won't bring a smile to your loved one's face, or change soiled clothing with grace and humor . . . keep reading
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The Actual Federal Nursing Home Regulations
Have you ever wondered just what the federal nursing home regulations say about a situation you're facing? While the federal statute is fairly broad, leaving the implementation up to the wisdom of the individual states, they do define the basics for nursing home care in the U.S. . . . keep reading
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Pressure Sores - A Caregiver's Nightmare
Christopher Reeve reportedly died from complications resulting from pressure sores, also known as bed sores or decubitus ulcers. If Mr. Reeve, with all his resources and private care developed pressure ulcers, then anyone who can't turn easily and frequently is certainly at risk . . . keep reading
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Last Minute Senior Gift Ideas
No matter how many "Gift Ideas For Seniors" lists you read, it's still not always easy to find the perfect gift for the older people in our lives. How many scented powders can one elderly lady use in a lifetime, and how many warm flannel shirts can one man wear? . . . keep reading
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Gifts For Assisted Living, Nursing Home and Home Caregivers
Families with loved ones receiving care from professional caregivers often ask about appropriate gifts for holidays or when their loved one is successfully discharged from care. There is often the temptation to slip a few dollars or a "little something" into the pocket of a caregiver who went above and beyond in caring for our elderly patient . . . keep reading
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Why "Medicaid Pending" Can Mean Trouble When You Need a Nursing Home
BJ did everything right for her mother. She made sure her mother had long term care insurance, she consulted with an eldercare attorney about eventually qualifying for Medicaid legally and ethically, she managed Mom's money well and kept her "at home" in assisted living as long as possible. Now that the money is gone and her mother needs nursing home care, why won't any "decent" nursing homes accept her? . . . keep reading
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What to Pack For the Nursing Home or Rehab
Whether your parent is going to a nursing home permanently or for a short rehabilitation stay, what to pack will be one of your first questions. You will have time to refine your list after your parent is situated, but this will get you started . . . keep reading
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Using a Free Senior Referral Service
Google "Free Senior Referral Service'" and the search engine will offer you in the neighborhood of 1,800,000 web pages to choose from. Does this give you the idea that assisted living and nursing homes referral services are a growing, thriving market? It should! . . . keep reading
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Can a Nursing Home Take Your House?
One of the biggest fears seniors and their families have is,"Will the nursing home take my house if I need to go into a nursing home?" There are so many fears, so many questions, and so much mis-information about what could happen to the family home if a senior has to apply for Medicaid assistance for long-term care. . . . keep reading
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Alzheimers Disease
