LONG TERM CARE - FACILITIES

Long term care is given in a variety of settings. If you can pay for it on your own or through insurance, you have a choice of where you will receive your care. If you are forced to liquidate your assets, you are at the mercy of the government when you are receiving Medicaid benefits.

Long term care can be received in the following places:

Nursing Home - Offers 24-hour care. There are optional private rooms but the semiprivate rooms are the majority. Nursing homes are required to have at least one registered nurse on duty.

Home Health Care - A home health care provider visits your home for a few hours or up to 24 hours per day to help with the activities of daily living.
(FOR EXAMPLE: Betty could walk when she came home from physical therapy. However, she could not bathe or dress herself. If insured for long term care, she could have home health aids visit each day to shower her and dress her. This would help Betty to stay home and stay out of a nursing home).

Assisted Living - Assisted living facilities are for people who need minor assistance with the activities of daily living. These facilities are an alternative to a nursing home and provide many activities for the residents. Residents have their own apartment settings.

Adult Day Care - These facilities are for people whom have caregivers at home. Adult day care provides a place where people can be cared for while the primary caregiver goes to work or needs to attend to personal matters. This option also helps to keep you out of a nursing home.