(Photo credit: schnaars)Today, many the of the baby boomers are being called the sandwich generation because we are still raising our children but also having to care for our elderly parents. The costs and responsibilities of taking care of the previous and next generation can take its toll. Thanks to the advances of medicine, people are living well into their 80's and 90's.
There can come a time when elderly parents may choose to live in residential care homes. This can be a stressful time for all concerned. Choosing a quality care home can be a difficult decision. But for many it is their first time learning about how to pick a good care home. I have listed a few ideas to keep in mind when looking for a care home.
Paying for a care home
It may seem an insurmountable task to pay for a good care home but with a little planning it can be done. Preparing ahead of time can make a comfortable care home possible. If a person is leaving a personal home for a care home it is possible to sell the home for cash or go with a reverse mortgage. The reverse mortgage will provide you with a steady stream of money to make care home payments.
The Veterans Association can provide benefits for a care home. If you have been keeping a long term care policy it has the ability to pay for expenses. If there is a retirement pension or Social Security, these can help with monthly fees.
Paying for a care home
It may seem an insurmountable task to pay for a good care home but with a little planning it can be done. Preparing ahead of time can make a comfortable care home possible. If a person is leaving a personal home for a care home it is possible to sell the home for cash or go with a reverse mortgage. The reverse mortgage will provide you with a steady stream of money to make care home payments.
The Veterans Association can provide benefits for a care home. If you have been keeping a long term care policy it has the ability to pay for expenses. If there is a retirement pension or Social Security, these can help with monthly fees.
What are the different types of care homes?
- A residential care home
- A nursing care home
- A residential care home for the mentally ill
- A nursing care home for the mentally ill
Eventually you will want to visit some perspective nursing homes but before you do you can review many care homes on the Internet. You may know some friends and families already familiar with care homes. Their advice and recommendations can point you in the right direction.
After you have narrowed down your selection to just a few good places you need to set up appointments for a visit. A good residential care home has a mission statement or service guide that should describe their philosophy and services offered to residents. In this document you can see how serious the caretakers view their work. The owners dedication to providing a safe, clean, and caring facility is paramount in your selection process.
A superior care home has individual care plans for each resident. Viewing a sample plan will show you how your family member will be cared for at the care home. The amount of detailed planning that goes into the care plan shows you exactly how a resident will be cared for.
Besides the quality of the facilities you also have to examine the quality of the staff. The staff should be well trained with a long history of good care home service. There should always be personal on hand 24 hours a day and an on-call registered nurse.
When making your selection for a care home get all the details about what's included with the monthly cost. Ask for any extra charges that can be added if there is any extra services needed.
Visiting the care home unannounced as a surprise visit will reveal the true state of the facilities and the staff.
There are still many things to consider. Taking the time and choosing the best care home will pay off for many years to come.
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