Choosing a Nursing Home

by Rick Law, founder of Law Elder Law, Estate, Asset & Retirement Tax Attorneys in the West Chicago suburb of Aurora in Illinois.

Recent studies reveal that nearly 70 percent of those 65 and older will eventually need some sort of long-term care assistance. When a family reaches the point where it becomes necessary for an affected loved one to enter a nursing home, it is one of the most difficult decisions they will ever have to make. When Alzheimer’s disease has progressed to the point where the affected loved one can no longer live alone, or when the primary caregiver can no longer provide the level or expertise of care that is necessary, a move to a nursing home is the next stop on the Alzheimer’s care journey.

As always, having a plan and knowing the right questions to ask beforehand provides invaluable help to those in need.

I counsel my clients to visit several different nursing homes before narrowing down their choices. Within urban areas, there are companies that specialize in connecting prospective nursing facility residents with facilities. One nationwide organization is called A Place for Mom (www.aplaceformom.com). This type of organization is compensated by being paid a commission from the long-term-care facility.

Because the organization is paid on commission, they may not have listing contracts with all facilities; therefore, one may not be shown the entire panorama of options. This statement is not meant to be critical, but rather to express the possible limitations of such services.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rates nursing homes. The system is called the Nursing Home Compare. It includes ratings of nursing homes based on quality measurements, staffing ratios, and health inspections. The website is www.medicare.gov/NursingHomeCompare.

Once clients have found a few facilities that look like good options, they should visit each one several times, preferably at different times in the day and at least once during a meal.

Too many families needlessly lose everything they have.  Don’t let that be you.  If you need help paying the overwhelming cost of long term care, give our office a call at 800-310-3100.  Your first consultation is absolutely free.  We’ll let you know what steps you need to take, right now, to protect yourself and your family.  Call now, because when you’re out of money, you’re out of options!

Sincerely,

Rick L. Law, Attorney, Estate Planner for Retirees.

Rick has been named 8 times as the #1 Illinois elder law estate planning attorney by Leading Lawyer Magazine. He has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, AARP Magazine, TheStreet.com, and numerous newspapers and articles. Rick is the lead attorney for Law Elder Law, LLP, focusing in Estate Planning, Guardianship, and Nursing Home Solutions. His goal is to give retirees an informed edge when it comes to dealing with an uncertain future.  Get flexible retirement strategies that work during good times and bad, plus information on how you can save your home and assets from being used to pay for long term care.  Call 800-310-3100 for your free consultation now

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