When the Crisis Hits

Posted on

Aug 04, 2019

When the Crisis Hits, families may have very little time to decide on the best care facility for a loved one. Trying to find a Skilled Nursing Care center as the clock races can make you feel overwhelmed or even paralyzed. Fortunately, there arealwayscare options available, even when time isnt. We recommend breaking down your decision into three steps:
Step 1: Research
Ask family and friends to recommend caregivers or centers. Find and compare Skilled Nursing Care Centers online with Medicare's Nursing Care Compare, a rating site for Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes, professionally called Skilled Nursing Care centers. Medicare has developed a five-star quality rating system based on health inspection results, care center staff data, quality measures, and fire safety inspection results. Though there is plentiful information you can find, relying on ratings alone is not sufficient enough to make a decision. Be wary of for-profit placement services, you want your decision to be based on careful consideration, not their commission.
Step 2: Consider
Based on your research, choose about three centers to visit. Call each to schedule a tour. Communicate the immediacy of your situation and ask to speak with an admissions coordinator. The admissions coordinator can tell you more about thecenter and availability. Only visit centers that you know have available accommodations.
Step 3: Select
After visiting and doing your research, select the center that best meets your care needs and consider giving yourself one night to sleep on your decision. Once you have made your care choice, learn more about what to expect during the transition.
As you go through the decision process, remember your loved one will need you as much now as ever. Youll remain an integral part of your loved ones care and decisions. You are your loved ones strongest voice and advocate.

This article was submitted by Karl Bieber, Public Relations Coordinator for Vetter Senior Living. He can be reached at kbieber@vhsmail.com or 402-895-3932

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