About Long Term Care. Like most people, I had an outmoded opinion about nursing homes. I have met few, if any seniors who would choose to live in one. Over the past few years, I have had a number of experiences that have taught me a great deal about modern long care options.
1. Sometimes It Is The Only Choice. I have even had clients who have a clause in their will to dis-inherit any of the heirs who "put them in a nursing home". I have also observed situations where there is no family member capable of providing a satisfactory level of care and the lifestyle of the elderly relative becomes intolorable.
2. Even If Lonf Term Care Is Necessary, Not all Facilities Are The Same. Fifty years ago, the choices were very limited and it seemed as if none were places you would want to live in. Now there are several different levels of care from almost independent living facilities to skilled nursing care with several options in between. If you want to have influence on where you might live, don't wait until its too late and you are incapable of making a decision on your own.
3. Most Long-Term Care Policies Cover Little Of the Cost of A First Class Facility. People who think they can buy a $4,000 per month benefit and have little to worry about may be in for a big surprise First-class care is expensive. The bill for my Uncle's care for the past two months was $23,000. Granted, there were some extra costs because of a fall he incurred but these things happen more than you might want to think and the magnitude of the excess cost is surprising. In very few months have I paid the amount quoted when we signed up.
4. Goverment Paid Care Comes at a Huge Sacrifice in Quality. Medicaid will pay for nursing home care but many of the nicer facilities won't take medicare. If at all possible, you need to avoid having to depend on medicaid.
5. Staff is More Important Than Furnishings. We often feel like we have done our job when we walk through a facility and see fancy dining areas, hot tubs, swimming pools, exercise facilities, and well-tended gardens. These amenities may be more for our benefit more than for the patient. They assuage our guilt while the patient may lack the awareness to appreciate these benefits. Ask questions about personnel selection policies, average turnover, and employee satisfaction levels. If possible, talk to some of the lower level employees to get an idea of how they like their jobs.
6. Visit, Visit, Visit. This is very important. If your relative has dementia, he or she may not recognize you, but your visits will let staff know know it is important for you to make sure you care that your relative is being cared for. Show your appreciation by an occasional card or small gift for staff members. Often pay is at the low end of the scale and recognition that some one appreciates their dedication is important. Of course, you have to make sure that they can accept small tokens of appreciation without violating company policy.
Back in Texas. I spent a week in Denver and didn't have enough time to visit everyone I wanted. I also got home with a lung infection that has kept me down for a few days. This emphasizes my point that taking care of yourself is of increasing importance as we get older.
No comments:
Post a Comment