About Nursing Homes - Rehabiliation CentersImagine over 17,000 nursing homes in the United States, caring for over 1.3 million people. Quite frankly, that means that there is a lot of caring going on, day and night, in many different size facilities. The numbers also mean that there are thousands of health care professionals, social workers, volunteers, service clubs and church members giving hours of their time and who seldom, if ever make the evening news. We know that caring for just one person is not easy, but a labor of love. It must indeed be a challenge to meet daily - all the needs of every 1.3 million residents, their families, friends, and at the same time meet State regulations and the needs of the staff in each facility.
Providing quality Nursing Home care indeed takes a community.
Depending on the region or State you are in, nursing homes are known by many terms; Rehabilitation Centers, Convalescent Care Centers, Health Centers or Homes for the Aged. In many areas, the name changes from Nursing Homes to Rehabilitation Centers for example, reflect the changing role of today's nursing home. Until the mid 1980's nursing homes were one of the few housing options available for seniors requiring care; in some small or rural communities they still are.
As new community based models of care emerged, such as Adult Family Homes (Adult Foster Care), Assisted Living, Residential Care, Memory Care and In Home Care, the demographic profile of nursing home residents also changed significantly. Today, it is quite common for a senior to use the local nursing home as a stepping stone from the hospital to community based care or back home. The rehabilitation step that used to take place in the hospital now takes place in a nursing home within a Skilled (Medicare Certified) section of the home, and as soon as it has been determined that rehabilitation has occurred, or significant progress has been achieved, then the person transitions either to an Intermediate Care (ICF) section of the home, goes home, or to another community based care option. One administrator of a home in Oregon recently commented that over 75% of their nursing home population stays less than 30 days.
Most nursing homes are also not the dreaded places we have often been led to believe they are. For the most part, the staff are caring people, and the residents have rights that are indeed being protected by caring family, friends and health care professionals. I believe it is important to visit, and ultimately choose a facility with this attitude. Depending on the time of day, nursing homes can be very hectic places with many frail elderly requiring lots of care.
There can be smells at times, there may be lots of people around, but follow your gut in visiting with the staff and residents. Always keep in mind that this is a home of many frail seniors with many care needs, and it is their home.
Location, Location, Location. It can not be emphasized enough the importanance of the home's location in relation to those who will visit the senior the most. Numerous studies have shown that residents who are visited often recover more quickly, and at the same time receive a higher quality of care since the staff is well aware that visitors come often and come unannounced. So, please visit frequently, monitor, and participate in the senior's care. Encourage other family members, friends and neighbors to visit as well, while at all times being totally respectful of the other residents and their care-givers. Take into account the home's meal schedule, rehabilitation schedule and activity schedule so as not to take the senior away from those important times. Remember it takes a community to care for our seniors.
When-ever someone enters a nursing home in the United States, Federal Law requires for that facility to complete an assessment that measures the person's physical, mental and social abilities. The facility is then required to draft a care plan that outlines such things as physical and speech therapy, range of motion, exercises, appropriate activities, diet and nutrition enabling the resident to reach the highest practical level of functioning. It is important that family and friends who know the resident well take part in the care plan meetings along with the resident, if capable. Care plans must also be revised monthly. Try to be at these meetings.
The US Goverment released a new website to help consumers make a good choice when choosing a Medicare Nursing Home. You are encouraged to use this site to aid in your choosing an appropriate nursing home:
