Eldercare at Home: A Resource for Choosing the Right Nursing Home

Just 30 years ago, nursing homes were one of the few options for older adults who had multiple disabilities or difficulty managing basic daily activities. The advent of assisted living facilities and a growing array of community- and home-based long-term care services have changed that, allowing many older adults to “age in place.” This is all for the good.

Sometimes, though, older adults have health problems and healthcare needs that can’t be met at home, or necessary community services are unavailable. (We still need to do more to provide these services and additional housing and transportation alternatives for older people.) In these situations, a nursing home—the right nursing home—can be the answer.

Unfortunately, nursing homes continue to make headlines for providing substandard care. In light of this, relatives and friends searching for a nursing home for an aging loved one need to be reassured that facilities vary tremendously in the care they provide. Some nursing homes set new standards in providing high quality care in stimulating, home-like settings. Because they vary so substantially, visiting and carefully investigating potential nursing homes is crucial.

To make the search for a nursing home easier, the American Geriatrics Society’s Foundation for Health in Aging has included an entire chapter on the subject in its award-winning caregivers’ guide, Eldercare at Home.

The chapter begins with a list of questions caregivers should ask themselves when trying to determine whether a nursing home might be appropriate for a loved one. It also includes advice on enlisting the help of healthcare providers, hospital social workers, and local agencies in making the decision. (Among other things, it explains that regional area agencies on aging can help caregivers get copies of nursing home evaluations—must-sees for those considering nursing homes.) And it emphasizes the importance of including the older adult, as much as possible, in deciding whether a nursing home is appropriate and the best choice.

The guide describes the different kinds of nursing homes (including skilled, intermediate, and subacute nursing units) and differentiates these from assisted living facilities and board and care homes. It also explains what a continuing care retirement community is. Just as important, it provides an overview of Medicare and Medicaid policy regarding reimbursement for nursing home care and offers information on long-term care insurance.

Written by a team of expert health professionals, Eldercare at Home includes step-by-step advice on evaluating nursing homes (among other things, it includes a “Nursing Home Checklist”). The book also offers helpful tips on ensuring that an older loved one gets the best possible care (by visiting often and participating in planning sessions and the home’s family council, for example). Finally, the guide offers advice on monitoring care and, if necessary, finding a new nursing home that’s a better fit.

A text-only version of Eldercare at Home (without illustrations) is available at no cost online. The Foundation for Health in Aging has also created a fully illustrated Workbook for caregivers to use at home, as well as a PowerPoint® Presentation Package that can be used in community settings. We hope you’ll help your patients and their loved ones make the most of this resource. Regards, For more about Eldercare at Home, and access to the free text-only version, visit the FHA website at www.healthinaging.org