Assisted Living
Nearly everyone fears getting sick at sometime during their life. They worry about who will take care of them, if they will be able to afford the proper care, and what kind of a burden they may be to their spouse or other family member.
These are all viable issues. Nursing care or any other kind of regularly-needed care for the senior adult that is unable to take care of himself can be quite costly. Furthermore, there's always concern about finding the "right" place at which to spend one's final years, especially if resources are limited.
The burden of finding a caring program or facility for a sick or otherwise-infirmed family member generally falls on the shoulders of the caregiver and it's often a monumental task. Usually, the caregiver is dealing with thoughts of guilt about being unable to care for their loved one on their own. Combine this with the job of visiting nursing homes or other facilities and interviewing potential care givers and it makes for a stressful time. However, thorough research and a good look at all the options can make the job a bit easier.
Nursing Homes
The words "nursing home" often conjure up fear in the hearts of seniors who are frightened of the concept of being taken from their home and family to live with strangers in a similar predicament. And rightfully so! Who hasn't heard the stories of nursing homes gone bad, with abusive workers and facilities that are less than modern and sanitary?
Finding a suitable nursing home for yourself or a loved one is a tall task. You'll want to make sure, first of all, that a nursing home is really needed. Check out local resources to determine whether there are programs in your area that can help your loved one stay home a little longer. These would include things like adult day care or programs that provide meals or companions.
If, however, you come to the conclusion that a nursing home is the proper choice, you'll need to allot time to find the right one for your loved one. Consider, first of all, what it is your family member is facing. Cancer? Alzheimer's Disease? Simply the frailties of old age? Consider what kinds of things the person can still do. Get dressed or eat on their own? Walk unassisted? When you've taken time to evaluate all the issues, better decisions can be made.
Begin by choosing facilities closest to you (for convenience) and check them out at www.medicare.gov. They use a five-star rating system that allows you to see just which nursing homes are living up to expectations. A visit to the Medicare site allows you to enter your zip code and indicate a certain number of miles from that region. Up pops all the nursing facilities in that area and their ratings, which include stars awarded for overall performance, health inspections, nursing home staffing, and quality measures. It'll also provide information about the size of the facility and whether or not they accept Medicare and/or Medicaid.
Once you've whittled down your list, take time to visit each one. Often, your first gut reaction to a specific facility will help you determine if it's the right one for your family member.
Adult Day Care
If you wish to continue taking care of a family member on your own but just can't do it all day long because of work or other commitments, you may want to consider an adult day care program. A concept that has really grown in popularity during the last 20 years, adult day care provides all-day care in a variety of settings.
Organizations like the National Adult Day Services Association (www.nadsa.org) can be quite helpful in finding suitable day care arrangements. Formed in 1979, the organization strives to "enhance the success of its members through advocacy, education, technical assistance, research and communications services." The NADSA website provides numerous resources to help caregivers find the right place for their family member or friend and has a database of reputable adult day care centers.
Adult day services generally provide meals and snacks, social activities, therapeutic activities, help with personal care and daily living tasks (when necessary), and sometimes even provide transportation. They are an ideal choice for seniors who are still somewhat independent but cannot be left on their own due to health-related problems, either physical or mental (i.e. Alzheimer's).
Just as in choosing a nursing home, you should always personally visit day care centers as well. Check references, make a surprise visit or two, and be sure they have the specific services your loved one needs. Next, try it out for a few days. If it seems not to be a good fit, move on and try another location, but try to settle on one within a few weeks in order to provide comfort and stability for the enrollee.
Hospice Care
For individuals who are nearing the end of their life due to an illness, hospice care is often a wise choice and is one that is usually made when the person can no longer be properly cared for at home. Hospice is designed to help preserve one's dignity in the last months of life, to improve quality of life as much as possible, and to insure that the patient is pain-free and as comfortable as possible.
When searching for the right facility for your loved one, use the resources you already have in place. That will usually be the patient's medical team. Doctors, nurses, and social workers can often suggest a good program in your area. Some hospitals have their own hospice programs, others are in private facilities. Also check with organizations like your local Agency on Aging, the American Cancer Society, or your church or synagogue. In addition, you can consult groups like the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, which can provide names of hospices in your region.
Each state is responsible for overseeing the certification of hospice services through their Department of Health. If you want to be sure the hospice you've chosen is certified and, hence, can accept Medicare payments, check with the state in which it is located.
Hospice resources can be extremely valuable to patients and family members of those battling terminal cancers such as mesothelioma. Often, the comfort of family and friends and peace of mind is the most valuable thing you can provide when someone is at the end of life.
Sources
Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare
http://www.medicare.gov/
National Adult Day Services Association
http://www.nadsa.org/
