Anonymous
06/01/2017 02:19
Subject: nursing home for dad -what to look for
That question is better directed to you, as you are sufficiently defensive that one can infer you have some connection to a facility that has a bogus rating.
Congress has been concerned about the Medicare ratings and tasked GAO to investigate. GAO reports are blander than investigative pieces in the New York Times (which I presume you usually preface with "failing"), but the bottom line is that GAO is not confident in the reliability of the ratings. https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-16-33
Congress has been concerned about the Medicare ratings and tasked GAO to investigate. GAO reports are blander than investigative pieces in the New York Times (which I presume you usually preface with "failing"), but the bottom line is that GAO is not confident in the reliability of the ratings. https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-16-33
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Those Medicare ratings are notoriously inaccurate. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/25/business/medicare-star-ratings-allow-nursing-homes-to-game-the-system.html?_r=0
Anonymous wrote:Here's a link to Medicare's Nursing Home Compare site, which gives good into.
https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/About/What-Is-NHC.html
Well then, what would you suggest instead? Certainly, the Medicare Compare site shouldn't be the only data a person uses to select a nursing home, but it can be a helpful source of information. Also, how long have you worked for a LTC facility that didn't get good ratings?
Anonymous
05/25/2017 11:19
Subject: nursing home for dad -what to look for
Anonymous wrote:Be aware that assisted living provides very little care. My mom once ended up on the floor of her assisted living apartment for 24 plus hours in extreme pain, with a broken collarbone. Be sure they have a way to regularly check up on residents. Also, look for signs of overmedication (lots of residents parked with open-hanging mouths and blank eyes).
Definitely the bolded part. Ask how they handle the overnight hours - how many are working, how often do they check residents. Also, how many staff are working per resident? Do the staff look engaged and happy? Are they friendly to you when you're touring? Are most residents out of their rooms in the common areas? Are the ambulatory residents able to get around themselves by themselves, safely?
Check out the food they serve - good variety, appetizing
How do they handle medical care - are there doctors who visit the facility or do you need to take dad out to get care? Same question for dentist, podiatrist, barber, etc.
Does it look clean and well-kept (light bulbs working, no stains on carpet, etc) Finally, how does it smell? When you walk around you shouldn't smell urine or poop.
Anonymous
05/20/2017 20:48
Subject: nursing home for dad -what to look for
Anonymous wrote:Those Medicare ratings are notoriously inaccurate. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/25/business/medicare-star-ratings-allow-nursing-homes-to-game-the-system.html?_r=0
Anonymous wrote:Here's a link to Medicare's Nursing Home Compare site, which gives good into.
https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/About/What-Is-NHC.html
Well then, what would you suggest instead? Certainly, the Medicare Compare site shouldn't be the only data a person uses to select a nursing home, but it can be a helpful source of information. Also, how long have you worked for a LTC facility that didn't get good ratings?
Anonymous
05/20/2017 16:22
Subject: nursing home for dad -what to look for
and
And what's the cost?
My mother kept my father home for 6 years as he slowly died from Parkinson's. $65K yearly to secure an agency, with 12 hour care and two men who rotated weekly
not to mention the meds, diapers, medical visits, hospital bed, etc.
I don't know how she would have managed if she didn't have the money.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Be aware that assisted living provides very little care. My mom once ended up on the floor of her assisted living apartment for 24 plus hours in extreme pain, with a broken collarbone. Be sure they have a way to regularly check up on residents. Also, look for signs of overmedication (lots of residents parked with open-hanging mouths and blank eyes).
I am so sorry that happened to your mother -- that is appalling! Levels off service must differ between places. At my parents' place, if they don't turn up for a meal, the staff calls or checks on them. They also get meds twice daily and if they don't come to the nurse's station for that, they'd get a call. The other day my dad ordered lunch but left to go to the nurse's station for something, and just went back to his apartment afterwards. Fifteen minutes later one of the dining room staff knocked on the door -- she had his food that they'd kept warm for him. They are also not over-medicating anyone -- once when the doctor prescribed something, the staff requested a conference call with us because they were concerned that that category of medications is sometimes considered chemical restraints and they were not fully comfortable with it.
And what's the cost?
My mother kept my father home for 6 years as he slowly died from Parkinson's. $65K yearly to secure an agency, with 12 hour care and two men who rotated weekly
not to mention the meds, diapers, medical visits, hospital bed, etc.
I don't know how she would have managed if she didn't have the money.
Anonymous
05/20/2017 01:53
Subject: nursing home for dad -what to look for
OP, finances are a huge consideration. If your Dad has long-term care insurance, be glad that he planned ahead. If not, be sure to consider how long he can pay for care before running out of money, and what the facility will do when that happens. Some nonprofits will commit to providing care for whatever amount he can afford when his assets run out. Private for-profit places will often say "we will work with you" but don't offer any actual assurance that they won't kick him out when the money runs out.