By Bob Gregory
It’s not unusual that a resident of an Assisted Living
Facility may need In-Home Nursing services that your parent’s facility does not
provide. Keep in mind that Assisted
Living Facilities do not provide Skilled Nursing services, so if your parent
should need that type of care you will probably have to contract that service
from someone other than the Assisted Living Facility. Generally, an Assisted Living Facility will
work with several In-Home Nursing companies that can provide the services you
need and they will make recommendations to help you. Be sure you understand why there is a need
for the In-Home Nursing care and that it will be short-term in nature before
you sign a contract. The reason may be
an indication your parent needs to be moved to a Nursing Home or Skilled
Nursing Facility
Some reasons you may
need In-Home Nursing:- One of the most common reasons is due to a hospital stay. Hospitals try to move patients out as quickly as possible and your parent may not be capable of caring for themselves medically. An Assisted Living Facility does not provide the type of on-going medical treatment that may be required after a surgery or severe illness. In this situation, you will need someone to stay with your parent that can provide medical care.
- Short-term rehabilitation services often require a higher level of medical expertise than is provided by an Assisted Living Facility. It is common to have these services provided by outside medical companies. There is a wide variety of rehabilitation that require outside services and your parent’s doctor will certainly guide you as to the type you need and make recommendations as well. Be sure to coordinate with the Assisted Living Facility and ask for candid reviews of the service providers you are considering.
- Often there is a need to provide advanced medical supervision as part of a transition service for a rapidly declining resident. If your parent needs advanced care, such as a Nursing Home or a Skilled Nursing Facility, you may need medical help while finding the facility that best fits your parent’s needs. The transition service can give you the time you need to locate the proper facility and make the move without having to make a rushed decision.
When additional medical services are requested by an
Assisted Living Facility, it is to assure your parent gets the proper medical
care they need that is not provided by the facility. Generally, these services are so that your
parent will not have to be moved to a different facility and can remain in
their “home” while they recover. Be sure
and discuss this with your parent’s doctor to make sure the services are
adequate. You also need to make sure the
services are short-term in nature and that the need is not an indication that
your parent is ready for a higher level of care such as the care provided by a
Nursing Home or Skilled Nursing Facility.
In-home care can be expensive and it may or may not be fully covered by
your parent’s health insurance. Make
sure you monitor the progress and be prepared to locate a Nursing Home or
Skilled Nursing Facility in the event you need to move your parent. You will find the Assisted Living Facility
will also monitor progress as they do not want residents who no longer fit the
profile of the facility. It is in both
the Assisted Living Facility and your parent’s best interest that your parent is
in the right facility with the right level of care!
If you find you need an Assisted Living Facility, Nursing
Home or any other type of Senior Facility, I hope you will consider www.seniorfacilityfinder.com.
If you would like to contribute your thoughts and ideas,
please leave them in our comment section. We want to hear them. Helping people
care for themselves or their loved ones is what we care about.
We look forward to reading yours.
Bob Gregory is an advocate
for Seniors and is one of the founders of www.seniorfacilityfinder.com. At SeniorFacilityFinder.com, we are dedicated
to helping families get the Elder Care help they need without having to provide
their personal information! If find you need an assisted living facility or
other type of senior facility, please consider www.seniorfacilityfinder.com
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