As you grow older, your housing needs may change. Maybe you’ll get tired of raking leaves from the lawn of the house you bought 30 years ago because you liked its huge, shady backyard. You might want to retire in sunny Florida or live close to your grandchildren in Illinois. Perhaps you will need to live in a nursing home or an assisted-living facility. Sometimes, after considering your options, you may even decide to stay where you are. Deciding where to live is never easy, but if you evaluate your options carefully, you’ll find it easier to live with your decision.
When You Need a Lot More Help: Nursing Homes
What are nursing homes?
Nursing homes are licensed facilities offering 24-hour access to medical care. They provide care at three levels: skilled nursing care, intermediate care, and custodial care. Skilled nursing care may be provided to individuals who need intensive medical care but not hospitalization. Intermediate care may be provided to individuals who need some medical care in addition to custodial care. Custodial care is provided to individuals who need some help eating, bathing, dressing, or taking medications due to physical or mental deterioration. Individuals in nursing homes generally cannot live by themselves or without a great deal of assistance.
Physical considerations
Privacy in a nursing home may be very limited. Private rooms may be available, but rooms more commonly are shared. There is a great deal of variation in quality and atmosphere, depending upon the facility selected. A nursing home may be hospital-like or home-like. When you choose a nursing home, pay close attention to the quality of the facility.
Emotional considerations
Due to the high cost of nursing home care and media reports of mistreated nursing home residents, you might fear entering a nursing home. However, the quality of life in nursing homes varies widely. To allay your fears about nursing homes, select one before you need care. Visit several facilities in your area, and talk to your family about your needs and wishes regarding nursing home care. In addition, remember that most people don’t live their lives in a nursing home. If your physical or mental condition improves, you may be able to return home or move to a different type of facility.
Financial considerations
Nursing homes are expensive. If you need nursing home care in the future, do you know how you will pay for it? Will you use private savings, or will you rely on Medicaid to pay for your care? If you have time to plan, consider purchasing long-term care (LTC) insurance to pay for your nursing home care.
Will care be there when you need it?
Nursing homes and assisted-living facilities often have long waiting lists. In addition, many nursing homes do not accept Medicaid right away from a resident; using private funds or LTC insurance may help you get into a nursing home. Many people don’t plan for long-term care because they don’t think they will ever need it. However, you will grow old, and as you do, your health challenges will increase. You may never need long-term care, but if you plan ahead for it, you’ll be much better off physically, emotionally, and financially.
Questions & Answers
Will Medicare pay for nursing home care?
Medicare will pay, in part, for the medical care you need, but not for custodial care. If you need skilled nursing care, Medicare will pay for it (with certain limits) up to 100 days. Before you rely on Medicare coverage to pay your nursing home bills, however, research your coverage.
What if you move into a retirement community and don’t like it?
The first move you make after you retire probably won’t be your last. If you live 20 years past retirement, you may even make several moves. Despite the fear some people have that once they move into a retirement facility they will be lost and forgotten, this is usually not the case. Decisions to move are not permanent. However, because of waiting lists, you may, for example, find it difficult to move from one nursing home to another, or you may have difficulty getting out of a CCRC once you enter it, due to the large sum of money you paid up front. Before you move into any retirement facility, research the facility thoroughly and go over the contract with an attorney.