Caregiver pushing the wheelchair of the elderly man

What is a Nursing Home?

A nursing home is the highest care environment for today’s seniors that require the skilled nursing services of a physician, nurse, social worker, physical therapist, occupational therapist or a respiratory therapist. These facilities are mostly paid for by Medicare and Medicaid. A nursing home is usually used more for a short term rehabilitation stay than as a long term care facilities option unless the senior is on a Medicaid program.

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Answers to the Most Common Questions About Nursing Homes Nationwide

When is it Time to Consider a Nursing Home?

The good news nowadays is that there are many alternatives to a nursing home. The bad news is that families and physicians don’t know about them. Nursing care these days are for the sickest of the sick.

Twenty years ago, any senior could check themselves into a nursing home, even if they only needed supervision. Now, most seniors that go to a nursing home are being admitted short term after a hospital stay. Traditional Medicare will only pay for nursing care after a hospital stay of 3 nights, and that is only if there is a true medical need for round-the-clock nurses.

What are Some Alternatives to Nursing Homes?

Senior Living options Nationwide and alternatives to a nursing home include Assisted Living and Memory Care Communities. Most seniors and families that call a Agelesscares Advisor claim that they need a nursing home, when in fact, assisted living would meet their needs much better.

Memory Care Cost Nationwide

The average national cost of a nursing home is over $8,200 per month. This can easily go as high as $100,000 per year. Alternatives to a nursing home are much more affordable and can deliver a higher quality of life. Call your Ageless Care Solution Advisor to discuss if your loved one is appropriate for an alternative to a nursing home, like assisted living, memory care, independent living or an in-home caregiver.

8 Sign That it’s Time to Move Aging Parents into Assisted Living to an assisted living is a big decision. However, many families put off making a move until their loved one experiences a health crisis. There are some telltale signs to help you know when to consider the move.

Before moving into an assisted living facility, the facility nurse will assess the care the person needs through a charting system. The assessment focuses on ADLs or Actives of Daily Living. The concept of ADLs was developed by a doctor named Sidney Katz in the 1960s, and it helps, professionals understand how well a senior can perform day-to-day activities.

The Six Main ADLs Categories Are:

Bathing
Dressing (getting dressed and choosing clothing )
Toileting(going to the bathroom)
Transferring ( the ability to get in and out of bed)
Continence
Eating and Nutrition

Aside from the basic ADLs, Assisted Living looks at a more holistic picture of daily life and the skills needed to live independently. These added activities are called IADLs, or instrumental Activities of Daily Living.

The Five Main IADLs Include:

Paying the bills
Cleaning the house
Cooking food for yourself
Being able to transport yourself outside of the house
Socializing

Without the clinical assessment tools of ADLs and IADLs, there are often more subtle signs that assisted living might improve quality of life by providing the needed support. Considering these indicators early will make you feel more comfortable if you eventually choose to move to an assisted living community.

Personal Hygiene

For someone who feels bad or has onset dementia, one of the first things to do is personal hygiene. They don’t bathe as often, and when they do it may not be as good as it should.

When it becomes noticeable that someone is no longer able to care for their basic needs, it is time to consider a move to an assisted living facility.
Eating and Nutrition

Seniors often lack the energy or resources to grocery shop. Plus, cooking can become challenging for loved ones as they age or lack the motivation to cook for one. This has negative effects on the senior nutrition.

According to a 2020 study and interview of approximately 1,000 caregivers, nutrition was one of the top three reasons families determined it was time to move a loved one to assisted living.

Here are some menu options typically found daily for dining options in assisted living
- Complete nutrition and ingredients that touch on everyday food groups
- Fresh fruit, healthy snacks, and healthy drinks choices available at any time
- Weekly menus are posted in advance with several choices to choose from
- The option to select a special meal plan that accounts for diabetics, low-sodium, high-fiber, kosher, and other diets.
Loss of Independence

No matter how much elder parents persist in vibrancy, age catches up with all of us in terms of diminishing eyesight and other decreased physical functions. The ability to drive carefully is an important part of senior family members’ independence. If they have had accidents, this is an obvious cause for concern. If they are leery of driving under certain conditions (such as at night), this may be typical but it’s also limiting.
Their Personality Is Not The Same

While everyone changes throughout life, personality changes later in life might indicate some professional help might be needed. If you notice behavioral changes in your parents that include more inactivity than usual or less vibrancy than before, this might be a sign that they need some additional care.

If your parents are experiencing new changes in mood or have lost interest in what they used to consider fun, it’s important to monitor their well-being more closely. These changes might be early signs of more serious problems to come and transitioning your parent to assisted living might be the right answer.
Cleaning The House

Hoarding or refusing to throw things away can be a sign of deteriorating mental health. Signs of lax housecleaning can be a sign of deteriorating physical health. It can also be a sign of deteriorating mental well-being, too, caused by depression or memory loss (a symptom caused by a serious problem such as dementia)
Recent Accidents or Falls

If your loved one has had a fall or some similar medical scare, this is one of the most alarming signs for a family. if your loved one fell, would someone be able to respond? What was the result? If your loved one wasn’t able to get proper help in a timely manner, and the prospect of another fall looms worse, this can be a sign that you should think about getting help.
Chronic Health Problems

Chronic health conditions will continue to worsen as someone ages. In addition, they can also weaken the immune system to be more likely to fall ill more often and stay sicker longer.

If your loved one is suffering and needs 24-hour care, it may be time to find a long-term care facility that is staffed and equipped to meet their ongoing medical needs.
They’re Forgetting Their Medications

Knowing when to put parents into assisted living can be answered by their inability to manage their medication. If your parents aren’t taking their medication the right way, this can become a serious issue. Some signs to look for are finding expired or stockpiled medications in your parents’ home.

This type of forgetfulness might be a sign of worsening health and memory in your parents. Starting off looking for the right assisted living will bring you peace of mind that your parents will get the care needed.

When Do I Move My Parents Into Assisted Living?
When do I move my parents into assisted living? That’s a hard question to have to ask yourself but some of the signs listed above may help you to find some answers you may have to make the process easier. Contact us with any more questions you may have about assisted living facilities and we’ll be happy to help!

We at Ageless Care Solutions recognize that caring for the elderly, our greatest test is not the physical trials we will face. Rather, it is finding a way to make difficult tasks as rewarding and empowering as possible.