Long Term Care Options
When people hear the words long term care, often a feeling of discomfort arises. What does long term care mean in Durango, Colorado? How can I afford it? These are just a couple of the questions people have when considering their long term care options.
It is no surprise that most people want to stay in their home for as long as possible. Our homes are where we are most comfortable. Many seniors have lived in there for decades and that is where they would like to stay. However, as people age, their homes often times are not a safe option of living. They may be too large to manage. Also, stairs become a challenge, as well as, a safety hazard. Also if a person requires more care, it may be too costly to have in-home care.
When staying at home is no longer a safe option, assisted living or nursing care come into play. While nursing homes are necessary for some people, there are now many levels of care that allows a broader scope of options for our aging loved ones.
Assisted Living, like Sunshine Gardens in Durango, Colorado, offers 24 hour oversight and care. Most facilities provide showering, dressing, medication management, oxygen assistance, and many more services. Assisted Living facilities tend to embrace more of a “home-like” environment where there are many activities, food choices, and social programs to keep our loved ones vibrant. Although assisted living facilities have been around for several years, they are becoming more main stream and the choice of care for seniors who are looking for a “non-institutional” choice of living.
Fortunately, there are many services offered in the Four Corners that allow assisted living facilities to broaden their scope of care. They partner with local home health, palliative, and hospice agencies. If a person requires specific nursing or physical therapy services, home health care agencies can provide those services in the assisted living setting. A bonus to this is that most of these services are covered under Medicare insurance for a certain period of time. This allows people who otherwise may not be “appropriate for assisted living” to stay in the facility and receive quality care.
People also want to “age in place,” and palliative and hospice care permits assisted living facilities to help people with this goal. Palliative care is a service where a qualified medical professional, usually a P.A. or M.D., evaluates the resident and determines the care plan that is most appropriate for that person’s future. Sometimes this includes changing medications, prescribing more services including home health care and/or physical therapy, or moving towards hospice and end-of-life care.
Hospice care provides comfort measures for residents in assisted living facilities. The range of services that can be provided expand once a person is on hospice care. An example is people who are non-ambulatory, need constant supervision, or those who may be bed-ridden. The goal is to provide the ultimate scope of care services in a setting that is familiar and comfortable. Most hospice services are also covered under Medicare.
There are many advantages of living in an assisted living facility like Sunshine Gardens in Durango, CO, while utilizing the local service options. For one, people can enjoy a beautiful, non-institutional setting, without compromising the quality of care. Also, assisted living facilities, on average, are thousands of dollars less per month than a nursing home. When a person lives in an assisted living facility, they will pay the base rate and necessary services or levels of care. Home health, palliative, and hospice care services are covered under Medicare and supplement what the assisted living facility provides. This saves the resident personal dollars they would be spending in a nursing facility.
Overall, there are many options of care for long term needs. It is important that you research the options in your area. Visit multiple facilities and compare the level of services, as well as, costs. If you manage it right, you or your loved one can find a beautiful facility and receive all the necessary care and services that are required.
