How do I get my parent into a nursing home?
Great question, but before we figure out how to get your loved one into a nursing home, we must first ask if a nursing home the best option for your loved one. For example, if your loved one has a condition that requires ongoing medical care but, they are otherwise self-sufficient, perhaps utilizing Medicare’s home health services. If your loved one wants to stay in their home and doesn’t have any medical issues that challenge their immediate safety, there are Medicaid programs for helping people stay within their homes. That program is known as HCBS or Home & Community-Based Services. There are also other supplemental programs, such as meals on wheels, and other state-based and non-governmental programs that may be able to help support your loved one without requiring a nursing home.
Let’s say you’ve already considered all of those options and you and your family have determined that your loved one needs to go into a nursing home, the next question is what type of nursing home care? There are two main types: specialized nursing facilities [SNFs] and nursing facilities [NFs]. As you have probably already realized, SNFs are for those that require an extra level of care. Several common examples for needing specialized care are diagnoses such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, cognitive impairments, severe complications related to diabetes, COPD, and other common conditions. Those examples are not exhaustive and are not definitive in determining the type of nursing facility one applies to enter, it merely assists in making a determination.
Once a medical professional, typically your loved one’s primary care physician, has made a determination of the level of care required, we work with our colleagues at each of the 298 nursing homes across the state of Iowa to help figure out the best fit for you and your loved one. In many ways, we help facilitate the move into the nursing home by creating an in-depth plan that includes an estate plan, asset and income analysis, medical needs, and financial mechanisms to help get your love one into the most comfortable living situation possible. We are proud to help you and your loved ones. This isn’t an easy decision and there will be moments of tears and worry, but that’s why you hire our firm. We know the process and are happy to make sure Dad’s fishing boat and Mom’s heirloom china stay with the family.