Nursing Home Placement

You and your loved one are approached by a hospital social worker with the information that everyone always dreaded. Your loved one needs continuing in-patient care in a nursing home. Or, maybe after you and your family have gone to great lengths to avoid having to place your loved one in a facility, placement becomes inevitable. What do you do next? Where do you even start?

The decisions that your loved and your family will immediately encounter are going to be traumatic and difficult for everyone involved. This is not easy; however, the decisions made will sit better with everyone involved if the proper steps are taken to make the transition to a nursing home as comfortable as possible. My suggestions are as follows:

1. Be sure to open up diaolgue with your loved one. You will want to know what would make her most comfortable in this process. Make sure to let her know she is in control of the situation.
2. Do at home research for possible facilities. The New York State Department of Health's website (www.health.state.ny.us/facilities/long_term_care/) can help you search for a facility in a particular area, provides a profile of each nursing home in NYS and allows you to see the facility's most recent survey results. Similar information can also be found on Medicare's website at www.medicare.gov.
3. Arrange for a tour of any facility of interest. Ask alot of questions to eliminate surprises.
4. The Admissions staff at the facility will question you about your loved one's coverage and/or ability to pay the the anticipated bill. At this point, you may want to discuss with your loved one getting an attorney involved.