Choosing and Paying for a Long-Term Care Facility
by
Attorney Joseph L. Matthews
Understand the different types of long-term care facilities -- and how planning ahead can help you choose the best option.
Despite significant recent growth in home care and alternative seniors' residences, nearly one of every two women and one of four men over age 65 will enter a long-term care facility (a.k.a. "nursing home") at some time in their lives. Many nursing facility stays are short ones, to allow a senior to recuperate from an illness, injury, or surgery. But many other stays are extended: More than a third of all nursing facility stays last more than a year, and many last three years or more.
Many people would prefer to remain outside a care facility. However, some seniors, because of their condition, circumstances, or the unavailability of in-home services or affordable assisted living residences, can receive adequate care only in a residential care facility.
Most residents in long-term care facilities cannot function without 24-hour monitoring, extensive personal assistance, and nursing care because of illness or physical or mental limitations. Other residents are in relatively good physical and mental health, but too frail to live alone at home. If they had more family or resources, many of these people might be able to make do with home care or living in an assisted living facility. For lack of an alternative, they become long-term care facility residents.
Choosing the Appropriate Level of Care
There is a great range in the levels of care available in long-term residential facilities. Care ranges from intensive 24-hour care for the seriously ill (which is called skilled nursing care) to long-term personal assistance and health monitoring with very little active nursing (often called custodial care). Some facilities provide only one level of care, while others provide several levels at the same location.
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