A nursing home which is also called a skilled nursing facility offers a variety of personal care and health services. These activities usually include 24-hour supervision, three meals a day, nursing care, and help with everyday activities. Some nursing homes also offer rehabilitation services like occupational, physical, and speech therapy.
But the nursing home cost can vary. This is because some people can stay at a nursing facility for a short period after they are discharged from a hospital. When they recover, they can go home. But many nursing home residents tend to live there permanently due to the ongoing mental or physical conditions that need constant supervision and care. This article discusses a nursing home.
Understanding a nursing home
A nursing home usually provides the best care for older people outside of a hospital. A nursing home can offer what is known as custodial care, helping a person to get in and out of bed, and helping with bathing, feeding, and dressing. But a nursing home differs from many other senior housing facilities because they also offer a certain level of medical care.
A nursing home can have a licensed doctor who supervises the patient’s care as well as a nurse or any other medical professional who is always at the facility. There is also skilled nursing care which is often 24 hours a day.
Also, other medical professionals like physical or occupational therapists are also on the premises. This helps the nursing home to deliver medical therapies and procedures on site that cannot be possible in other types of facilities.
As the population ages, more people are faced with the potential of moving into nursing or convalescent homes. Sometimes, it can be a decision that comes suddenly following hospitalization or even gradually when needs become harder to meet in other types of facilities. Some facilities are better equipped at meeting the needs of residents than others but some services provide care at home if the health issues present are more manageable. Home care is just as high-quality as residential home care, with private duty home care software helping to maintain high standards tailored to each individual.
It can be stressful to make such a decision, so you need to learn about nursing homes so that you can reduce your fears. This may help you to make the right decision for you or even for your family member.
It’s worth mentioning that you can find a wide range of options to assist older people stay in their homes, such as help with laundry and shopping, visiting home health services, and caregiving. But if these home options are not possible, then other options like assisted living can be a better match if the primary need tends to be custodial care instead of skilled medical care.
Unfortunately, some people believe that it is the duty of a family to care for elders. Today, families are often smaller and they live farther apart. And, people are now living longer with some chronic illnesses. Keep in mind that a nursing home for elderly family members doesn’t mean that you no longer care about them. Therefore, it’s a responsible decision to find them a nursing home so that their needs can be met.
It’s crucial to research nursing homes properly before you decide to send your loved one to it. The truth is that most nursing homes provide great care. There are many safeguards in place. Also, the staffing information of the facility or any previous violations are usually available to the public, meaning that this can help in your decision-making.
Sometimes, an injury or illness can progress to an extent where you may need ongoing custodial and medical care for the rest of your life. But most people may come across a nursing facility for the first time after they were hospitalized from a stroke or fall. After rehabilitative care, you can decide to go back home or choose an alternative housing option.
The best time to consider a nursing home
Whether you and your family members want to make a quick decision regarding a nursing home because of a recent event or you have a progressive disease like Parkinson or Alzheimer, it can be a hard decision to consider a nursing home.
Emotions, such as sadness, guilt, anger, and frustration are normal in such cases. But you need to work through your financial, housing, and medical options so that you and your family members can make an informed decision.
If you want to choose a nursing home just as the next step following your hospitalization, then it’s a good option. But if you intend to move from your home or any other facility, then a medical team needs to make an assessment so that it can clarify your needs and determine if other housing options can be right for you.
If you need 24-hour supervision or even are in danger of forgetting about a hot stove or wandering off, a nursing facility can be your best option. But if your needs are only custodial, then assisted living can be great for you.
Caregivers are usually handling the needs of work, have their family responsibilities, and have to take care of their health. Therefore, it’s hard for a single person to be awake and provide care 24 hours a day. In most cases, other family members can come in to fill the gap, so respite care and home care services can offer the required caregiver support.
But there can come a time when medical needs may become too much and home care services tend to be too expensive or insufficient.
Aside from these, you should also determine whether a nursing home can be temporary or permanent. In most cases, a temporary situation can be covered through home care. And, family members can rotate care if it’s on a short-term basis. But, if the level of care is to be permanent, then coverage may not be enough or it can be too expensive.
Above all, if you decide to go to a nursing facility after a hospital stay, you should ask the hospital staff for help. You can ask your physician for recommendations.
But you should always consider what you want, such as nursing care, physical therapy, meals, hospice care, and many more. You can also desire to have a nursing home that is close to your family members and friends so that they can easily visit you.
