A place to call home: cover all your bases when looking for nursing care.When someone you love needs nursing home care, finding the appropriate place can be financially and emotionally daunting daunt tr.v. daunt·ed, daunt·ing, daunts To abate the courage of; discourage. See Synonyms at dismay. [Middle English daunten, from Old French danter, from Latin . To help ease your burden when it comes to placement options, facility selection, and insurance, here are a few guidelines: Determine what services are needed. Most of us deal with nursing homes after a parent, relative, or spouse needs long-term care long-term care (LTC), n the provision of medical, social, and personal care services on a recurring or continuing basis to persons with chronic physical or mental disorders. . "My mother has had three strokes since 2002," says Micheline Ridley Malson, a consultant for faith- and community-based organizations in Durham, North Carolina Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham CountyGR6 and is the fourth-largest city in the state by population. . "After the first two, I hoped she could live with me or in her own house, so I looked for a nursing home that could provide rehabilitation service." But when her mother had her third stroke, Malson then "wanted to find a nursing home equipped to provide the kind of constant care she would need." Size up the right location. You'll probably want to put your loved one in a nursing home near you. Often, local agencies can tell you what services facilities offer and which have vacancies. Malson says she received invaluable help from a Durham-based senior citizens council and the state's Department of Social Services social services Noun, pl welfare services provided by local authorities or a state agency for people with particular social needs social services npl → servicios mpl sociales . Understand that money matters. "Nursing homes in this area alone cost about $5,000 a month," says Ed Fulbright, a financial planner Financial Planner A qualified investment professional who assists individuals and corporations meet their long-term financial objectives by analyzing the client's status and setting a program to achieve these goals. in Research Triangle Park Research Triangle Park, research, business, medical, and educational complex situated in central North Carolina. It has an area of 6,900 acres (2,795 hectares) and is 8 × 2 mi (13 × 3 km) in size. Named for the triangle formed by Duke Univ. , North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. , who advises Malson. Fees are even higher in other parts of the country. Therefore, have a plan for where funding will come from, no matter where you live. Keep in mind that Medicare may pay for some medical treatments but not all. Medicaid is a needs-based program, so thorough disclosure of the applicant's financial situation is required. Long-term care insurance can help policyholders pay nursing home bills, but insurance companies are understandably reluctant to sell policies to someone who will be going into a nursing home immediately. If your parents are relatively young and healthy, encourage them to seek such coverage--and check into buying a policy for yourself. "The perfect age to purchase this insurance is between 50 and 62," says Fulbright. "People under 50 years old are normally too far from needing long-term care to consider buying insurance, while premiums become much more expensive as you grow older, especially after age 70." |
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