How to Choose a Nursing Home

Over 5.5 million people per year must face the prospect of having to choose a nursing home. Few of them know anything about the world they are about to enter.Most folks are faced with this decision after a #xE2;#xAC;Sspell of illness#xE2;#xAC; such as a stroke, or perhaps a fall, which requires hospitalization or surgery. With seeming suddenness they encounter the realities of the Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and private insurance reimbursement policies which are focused upon moving patients into lower cost settings for their rehabilitation or other necessary skilled services. Others may find themselves faced with the steady deterioration of a loved one#xE2;#xAC;"s physical or mental condition. Over time they finally reach a point where they are no longer able meet the individual#xE2;#xAC;"s care needs. They find themselves literally at a point of exhaustion. Sometimes, the adult children begin to notice the severe strain on an elderly spouse who is trying their best to give the necessary care. At that point many will find themselves floundering for a solution. Where can we find the care we need? How are we going to manage the expense of long term care? Do we have to go into a nursing home? Will home health care work out? What are the alternatives? How do I find the best place for mom? How do I know if a specific nursing home is a good place? In an attempt to answer these questions, many people will rely upon advice from friends, clergymen, and family physicians. Some rely on the recommendation of placement services that purport to screen and rate health care facilities.The advice of others is not a bad thing, but a degree of caution is always good counsel. For instance, a family physician may recommend a certain skilled nursing facility for reasons other than good care. The facility may be close to his office or home. He may have other patients in the facility which allows him to group his visits and maximize revenue. Another example would be referral services that may have agreements with nursing home companies wherein they are paid retainers or finder fees.The nature of this decision is one that will have long-lasting, profound effects upon you and your loved one. You will want to make the right choice the first time and avoid costly, even tragic mistakes. For that reason it is best not to rely solely upon the advice of others, or worse, be shuttled by the system itself into an environment you have not personally vetted. To accomplish this you need a depth of knowledge that will allow you to completely understand the system and find the best long term care placement options for your loved one.This book was written by a seasoned, senior executive with 37 years service in the long term care industry. The sections are filled with advice and tips that cannot be found anywhere else. This will take the mystery out the experience and place the reader in a position of power, so that they will be in control.Among many other important things, readers will learn to: quickly find nursing homes in any area of the United States, learn how to navigate the Medicare.gov web site, quickly identify quality levels in selected nursing homes, be familiar with confusing nursing home jargon and systems, prepare to visit a nursing home and ask critical questions, know in advance the telltale signs which will help evaluate service and care, understand the best times to visit a facility, be prepared for sales closing statements designed to intensify the sense of urgency and hasten a decision, become knowledgeable about financial coverage benefits and drawbacks, confidently read and understand the federal nursing home survey document - especially the critical scope and severity issues, and learn how to resolve conflicts effectively and to your satisfaction.