The decision to move an aged member of a family to a home may be triggered from needs of specialized treatment, care and needs. This results from increased needs, which may become difficult to meet in houses. Such decisions can be very stressful due to misconceptions about such facilities such as one cannot take care of himself, the facilities provide awful care, and one can never leave these homes once hospitalized, among others. Making a decision that is right to a loved one requires awareness or knowledge on nursing homes. It also requires handling of emotions and convincing the care seekers that this is the best thing for them.
A skilled nursing facility is an institution that meets all criteria required for accreditation by the Social Security Act. Skilled nursing care comprises of medical and nursing procedures and rehabilitation. Care in these facilities is provided throughout the day and night with medical professionals, physical and occupational therapists available throughout this time. This allows a delivery of care, therapies and other medical procedures carried on the site that would not be available in other housing (Beattie and Song, 2005).
Skilled nursing facilities provide care and services for patients who require high end skilled and medical care. Most of the skilled nursing communities provide assistance to activities of daily living, long term custodial care, individualized care and health plans, post-surgical and post-hospital care, Medicare certified beds, rehabilitation therapies, and diabetic management services, among others (Mara and James, 2000). The facilities offer skilled facilities to help individuals and societies at the highest possible levels by providing care required to manage chronic conditions.
An assisted living facility offers house alternatives to adults who require help with daily living activities. The residents in these facilities are senior citizens who suffer mild decline in their health, and need help in carrying out their daily activities. Such services are offered to injured persons who are recuperating, the ill or as a result of aging. Such people require the comfort of the society or the availability of medical attention (Chapin and Dobbs-Kepper, 2001).
Assisted living residents do manage some activities alone but still require assistance with daily activities, for example, transportation and dressing. The facilities offers custodial care, provide assistance in feeding, bathing, dressing, getting in and out of bed, among others (Beattie and Song, 2005). Such tasks are performed by trained personnel who may not necessarily be licensed nursing staff. A typical assisted living facility offers 24 hour monitoring to the residents and offers various services such as medical.
The services provided in an assisted living facility reach out to those people who require held yet they want to live independent lives. The services are provided with more freedom than in the skilled nursing homes (Janeski and Pruchnicki, 2006). Most residents in assisted facilities are long-term though some offer short-term cares for cases like post surgery treatment, for example. After recovery, such residents go back to their places of residence.
Whilst a skilled nursing facility requires licensed physicians and attendants, an assisted living facility may not operate under licensed physicians and supervisors. This implies that the health care provided in nursing facilities is more professional than that provided in assisted living facilities (Beattie and Song, 2005). There are no federal standard of operating an assisted living facility as is required under skilled nursing facilities. The implication is that each state defines and operates the assisted living homes differently. However, most oversight occur at the state level as there are some common federal laws that have to be followed by these states.
Skilled nursing facilities offer services at a predetermined rate each day for up to 100 days. The initial payment rates for these facilities were set in 1998. The base payments were calculated and determined differently for those facilities in urban and rural areas. These rates are updated annually based on projected increases in the market’s basket index. Daily payments are determined by an adjustment of base payments depending on the geographical region, and differences in labor costs between these regions. These payments can be made by individuals or under insurance schemes.
Costs in assisted nursing homes are normally less as compared to those in the skilled nursing facilities. The costs depend on the service that a resident requires, and the facility chosen. Some are expensive than others depending on the standards of service and states where located (Janeski and Pruchnicki, 2006). The prices may range from $25, 000 to $50,000 annually. It is advisable that people seeking assistance from these institutions find out what is included at their basic rates; as there could be extra fees charged for some additional services.
Some long-term care and health insurance policies may cover services provided by assisted living homes while in some residences or their families settle the finances. The federal medical program does not contribute in settling these bills, as in the case of skilled nursing residents. However, depending on the location of the facility, the Medicaid may pay for some services provided in assisted living (Beattie and Song, 2005).
Currently, there are over one million people receiving care in assisted living facilities and skilled nursing homes. As the number of seniors increase, the number of these residences keeps increasing. The implication is that there is the need for improved efficiency, and increased number of care providers so that the facilities can be efficient (Mara and James, 2000). Additionally, there is the need for increased funding so that proper equipment and medication can be provided in these facilities.
Public awareness is required so that the existence and services offered in these facilities are known. This is after realization that the aged and sick suffer at home while their care givers go out in search of daily living (Chapin and Dobbs-Kepper, 2001). They lack proper care and assistance as this is foregone so that their kin can search for their living. Awareness of the services offered, and their rates may make the public view the facilities differently and opt for their patients to be taken care of in these facilities.
The effectiveness of assisted and nursing facilities can be improved if the society deviates from the myths about these homes. Although there lacks prevalent data known for abuse in these homes, available information indicate that the facilities have records of abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Most needy patients believe that the homes are meant for those people whose families do not love or care about them. They have believes that if they do not take care of themselves, nursing homes are their only option. They believe that nursing homes offer awful care, and when one gets in there he/she will never leave (Mara and James, 2000). Such myths impact the effectiveness of the nursing homes as it becomes difficult to change the attitudes or make the care seekers collaborate.
Chapin and Dobbs-Kepper (2001) argue that for future sustainability and effectiveness in service provision, there is the need to foster collaboration in defining these facilities. There is also need to address issues related to improvement in standards for the provision of quality long-term care. There is the need to promote evidence based approaches to problems viewed as general in societies. There is the need to establish the root causes of these problems, and identify issues that affect practice and long-term care practices.
In conclusion, the existence of assisted living facilities and skilled nursing homes has led to improvement in care for the aged and those recovering from ailments. Their services are effective but with increases in number of care seekers, and public awareness of their existence, there is the need of improvement in the services offered, equipment and medication, training of personnel, and funding (Mara and James, 2000). With the current trend of population growth where the youth marks the highest percentage of the population, the facilities might end up being needed more by this age group than the aged. This implies that there is the need for preparation and formulation of policies that plan for diversified needs from the population.
References.
Beattie, E. R & Song, J. (2005) A comparison of Wandering Behavior in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice, Vol. 19(2).
Chapin, R., & Dobbs-Kepper, D. (2001). Aging in Place in Assisted Living Philosophy Versus Policy. The Gerontologist, 41(1), 43-50.
Janeski, J. F. & Pruchnicki, A. (2006). Dignity for all: Affordable Assisted Living. Care management journals., Vol. 7(3).
Mara, C. & James, T. (2000). Creating the strategic Future of Long-term-care organizations. Care management journals, Vol. 2(2).
