Decisions concerning the long term care of an elderly person are particularly wrenching. None of us wants to feel that we've been put to pasture somewhere, to leave our home and family, or to feel that we may simply fade away. No one wants to move to a nursing home, and there are very few families who feel good about having to make the decision to move an elderly relative to a nursing home. That's the truth, no matter how lovely the home or how wonderful its employees, it still represents a difficult move away from the elderly person's own home.
You will have to consider many issues, including:
- Level of care required by the elderly person, and whether the facility can offer that care
- Location of the facility so that you and others can visit and be involved in the person's care
- Quality of care provided by the facility, and its track record of compliance with rules and regulations
- Cost of the facility, and how it will be paid for (see also Medicaid Planning)
Where do you turn for information about long term care, and all the questions you'll have about what you should consider? You can call me, and you can find a wealth of articles and other detailed information on the web by visiting my Resources page for further information.