The Definition Of …..
By JoAnn Thibault
Nursing home: A residential facility for persons with chronic illness or disability, particularly older people who have mobility and eating problems. Also called a convalescent home, long-term care facility.
A Nursing Home, also known as a Skilled Nursing Facility or SNF, has Registered Nurses who help provide 24-hour care to people who can no longer care for themselves due to physical, emotional, or mental conditions. A licensed physician supervises each patient’s care and a nurse or other medical professional is almost always on the premises. Most nursing homes have two basic types of services: skilled medical care and custodial care.
Skilled medical care includes services of trained professionals that are needed for a limited period of time following an injury or illness:
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An R.N. doing wound care and changing dressings after a major surgery, or administering and monitoring I.V. antibiotics for a severe infection.
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A physical therapist helping to correct strength and balance problems that have made it difficult for a patient to walk or get on and off the bed, toilet or furniture.
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A speech therapist helping a person regain the ability to communicate after a stroke.
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An occupational therapist helping a person relearn independent self-care in areas such as dressing, grooming and eating.
Skilled care may also be needed on a long term basis if a resident requires injections, ventilation or other treatment of that nature.
Custodial or personal care includes assistance with what are known as the activities of daily living, such as:
• bathing
• dressing
• eating
• grooming
• getting in and out of bed, or walking
around
• toileting (incontinence care)
People who are able to recover from a disabling injury or illness, may temporarily need the custodial care as they are getting back the strength and balance to be independent again. For people who are losing their ability to function independently due to chronic disease and increasing frailty, custodial care may be a long-term need. In the most severe cases where a person is bed-bound, ongoing supervision by an RN is necessary along with the custodial care, to ensure proper hydration and nutrition and to prevent skin breakdown. If a custodial care resident becomes ill or injured, they may spend a period of time in skilled care, and then return to custodial care. Whether a resident is under skilled or custodial care is important in terms of who provides the care and who pays for the services provided.
Sources: http://helpguide.org/elder/nursing_homes_skilled_nursing facilities.htm
Resource: http://www.medterms.com/
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By JoAnn Thibault
From The Official Government Site for People with Medicare;
www.medicare.gov.
This tool has detailed information about every Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing home in the country. Before you get started, you or your family member may have other long-term care choices like community-based services, home care, or assisted living depending on your needs and resources. For more information, see Alternatives to Nursing Homes. Otherwise, follow these steps when choosing a nursing home: http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/
Source: http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/
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–Very good news!–
Massachusetts Nursing Homes Receive High Marks in State Survey. 9 out of 10 families would recommend their relative’s nursing home to others.
Newton (March 24, 2010) – The Massachusetts Senior Care Association today congratulated the more than 50,000 people who work in the state’s nursing homes for their hard work and dedication in light of a new state-funded survey showing high levels of satisfaction among family members with relatives being cared for in nursing homes.
The survey, conducted for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and mandated by the state legislature, found that family satisfaction has increased over the past two years from an average satisfaction score of 4.19 in 2007 to 4.22 in 2009. A score of 5 indicates the highest level of satisfaction. In addition, 9 out of 10 family members said they would recommend their relative’s nursing home to others, the same percentage as in 2007.
“These results demonstrate once again the commitment of our hard working staff, who provide compassionate care to our residents each and every day,” said Mass Senior Care President Abraham E. Morse. “Few health care providers or politicians can claim favorability ratings as high. We congratulate staff throughout the state on this remarkable achievement.” The survey was conducted for DPH by Market Decisions in Portland, Maine, and the Rutgers University Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research. The survey, which was conducted between October 16, 2009, and December 31, 2009, is based on nearly 20,000 responses from family members with relatives in 430 Massachusetts nursing homes. The survey response rate was 60%. In addition to an increase in overall satisfaction, the survey results show increased satisfaction in virtually all of the areas that were measured, including:
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Overall satisfaction with the nursing home
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Overall satisfaction that the resident’s needs are met
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Administrative and personal care staff
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Physical environment of the nursing home
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Personal care services provided to residents
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Residents’ personal rights
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Food and meals
“Nursing homes today are an integral part of our health care system,” Morse noted. “While we provide care and community for residents with chronic health conditions, including many who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, we are also increasingly providing short-term and rehabilitative care to patients who are then able to return home. As the state’s population ages and the need for long term care services increases, quality care will continue to be at the heart of our mission.”
The Massachusetts Senior Care Association is the state’s leading long term care provider organization, representing more than 500 nursing homes, assisted living residences, and continuing care retirement communities. A non-profit organization, Mass Senior Care provides advocacy on legislative, regulatory and financing issues; collects and analyzes data on the delivery and financing of long term care services; sponsors quality improvement and continuing education programs for facility staff; and provides consumer information through its consumer line (1-800-CARE-FOR) and website (www.maseniorcare.org).
Source: Massachusetts Senior Care Association, 2310 Washington Street, Suite 300 Newton, MA 02462 617.558.0202; www.maseniorcare.org
Before making your decision on a nursing home, always review and compare nursing home ratings: http://www.medicare.gov/ NHCompare/
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