THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES, ASSISTED LIVING AND NURSING HOMES.
Benjamin Franklin best summarized it: "Nothing in life is certain but death and taxes." But with the advancements in science and technology, Americans live longer than ever before*. This blessing has presented a unique problem for American families today: How do you plan and prepare for retirement?
Are you a frequent road-tripper? Nearly every highway has large billboards advertising new communities that couples can use for their retirement years to enjoy recreational pursuits. You won't find a newspaper without at least one advertisement promoting the facilities at an Assisted Living Austin TX. You can search the Internet for "nursing homes Virginia" and you will see thousands of websites. Every day, new facilities are built in the state that offers different programs.
Is this the right facility for you and your family members? Which facility is it? It is common to hear the terms "retirement home", "nursing home" and "assisted living centre" but we rarely understand what they actually mean. These differences are quite striking, and it is important to be able to distinguish between them when making decisions for yourself and your loved ones.
Nursing home
A nursing home is any facility that provides long-term care, nursing services, and health-related services on an ongoing basis for two or more individuals, regardless of their relationship, in Virginia. A nursing home is simply a facility that provides daily care for someone who requires less care than a hospital but still needs it.
The Virginia Department of Health licenses these facilities and establishes guidelines that regulate various aspects of their programs and staffing requirements A nursing home must have policies and procedures for the care of residents, and how they are managed (12VAC5–360-20); (b), provide emergency medical services within fifteen minutes under normal conditions (12VAC5–360-50); (c), be subject to unannounced inspections of the facility (12VAC5-371-60); (d), have an agreement with one or more Virginia Board of Medicine physicians to act as medical directors (12VAC5–371-230); and (e), each resident shall be under the care of a licensed by the Virginia Board of Medicine (12VAC5–371-240).
Residents of nursing homes also have certain rights, as per Virginia Code SS32.1-135. See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+32.1-138. Nursing homes are structured and regulated residential options that provide care for seniors who require some level of health care. If the facility offers care under Medicare or Medicaid, it is deemed a certified nursing facility (Virginia Code SS32.1-127; Virginia Code SS32.1-127). It must comply with all federal and state laws.
The staff will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of a nursing facility if there are more regulations and rules. They will be responsible for caring for your loved ones and ensuring compliance with federal and state laws. The staff is what will make or break whether your loved one is cared for and encouraged in a facility that may be attractive.
The best nursing home for someone is:
A person who requires assistance with daily activities such as getting into and out of bed, taking medication, or using the bathroom.
Someone who may be suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's, and is unable to eat or bathe every day without assistance or reminders.
A person who is in recovery from an accident or fall and cannot walk, dress or eat on their own.From assisted living facilities