Nursing Home Care for Parkinson’s Patients

Long-term care offers a vast range of medical, personal, and
social services that are required to meet the physical, social, and emotional
needs of people who have long-term illnesses or are disabled. A nursing home
facility may be the best choice for people who require 24-hour medical care and
supervision.
What Types of Care Do Nursing Homes Provide?
There are two types of care provided by nursing homes:

Basic care. This provides services that will help to maintain a
person’s ability to carry out necessary daily functions, like personal care and
getting around. They will also ensure that the person is supervised and
safe.

Skilled care. This is care that requires the services of a
registered nurse for treatments and procedures on a regular basis. Skilled care
also includes services provided by specially trained professionals, such as
physical, occupational, and respiratory therapists.

What Services Do Nursing Homes Offer?
The services nursing homes offer vary from facility to
facility. Services often include:

Room and board
Monitoring of medication
Personal care like dressing, bathing, and toileting assistance
24-hour emergency care
Social and recreational activities

How Do We Find the Right Nursing Home Facility?
Finding the right nursing home takes time. It is important to
begin the search for a suitable nursing home well before you will need to take
the step of moving. There are often long waiting periods. Planning ahead can
also make the transition of moving into a nursing home much easier.
Family and caregivers should talk about what services will be
needed. Take time to consider what services are important to you before calling
different nursing homes. Think about what kind of help is needed and how often
it’s needed.
Before scheduling a visit to the nursing homes you are
interested in, ask about vacancies, admission requirements, level of care
provided, and participation in government-funded health insurance options.
How Do We Pay for the Care?
As you and your family evaluate your long-term care needs, it’s
important to consider financing options. Payment for nursing home care can be
made through Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and personal funds. When
evaluating nursing homes, it’s important to ask the administrative staff what
payment options they accept. Here’s a brief summary of some of the financing
options:

Medicare is a federal health insurance program providing healthcare
benefits to all Americans age 65 and older. Insurance protection intended to
cover major hospital care is provided without regard to income, but only
restricted benefits are allowed for nursing home care. In addition, Medicare
only pays for skilled care in a nursing facility that has a Medicare
license.
Medicaid is a joint federal/state health insurance program providing
medical care benefits to low-income Americans who meet certain requirements.
Nursing home care is covered through Medicaid, but eligibility requirements and
covered services vary widely from state to state.
Private long-term care insurance is a health insurance option that, if
purchased, supplements Medicare coverage. Private long-term care insurance
policies vary greatly. Each policy has its own eligibility requirements,
restrictions, costs, and benefits.