Important Questions to Ask When Choosing a Nursing Home

Elder care abuse is rampant nowadays, one of the reasons why people should choose a nursing home carefully. Mitzi McFatrich has been working on issues on long-term care and elder care abuse, and highly recommends crucial questions to ask when choosing a nursing home facility. Here are some questions that you should ask first in order to find the most fitting nursing home for you or for your loved ones:

1. Is the location realistic?
2. What do nursing home surveys show?

Questions to ask to Administrators and Nursing Directors:

1. Which services do you offer?
2. What are the staffing ratios?
3. How long do nurses and aides spend with residents each day?
4. What about staff turnover?
5. Can I see your staffing schedule?
6. How do you prevent pressure sores?
7. Are residents moved from room to room?
8. What if I run out of resources?
9. Do you provide special care for people with dementia?
10. Does staff have special training in dementia care? What does that training entail?
11. What about physical and chemical restraints?

To Dietitians:

1. What kind of food do you serve?
2. Do you accommodate special diets?
3. Can I have what they’re having?

To Residents:

1. Are you happy here?
2. Do you have freedom of choice?
3. When you ask for help, how long do you have to wait?

To Activity Directors:

1. What about activities?
2. Are more traditionally male activities included?
3. Is transportation available?
4. How reliable is the transportation?

Source: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/best-nursing-homes/articles/2015/03/05/crucial-questions-to-ask-when-youre-choosing-a-nursing-home

The Word “Budget” Has Gotten A Bad Reputation, But It’s Just A Plan For Your Money. It Doesn’t Mean You Have Nothing.

Having a budget plan is not a bad idea after all, particularly now that people’s needs are changing. Longevity is one of the issues that have been hitting everyone’s retirement income hard. The best way to combat this is by having a well-developed plan for retirement and considering long term care. You can get started by requesting for long term care insurance quotes at https://www.ltcoptions.com/free-long-term-care-quotes/ for free.

5 Tips to Protect your Retirement Income

People nearing retirement should start thinking about protecting their assets and ensuring retirement income needs are satisfied now and in the future. For your guidance, here are five ways that can help manage the risks to your retirement income:

1. Plan for health care costs and consider getting long term care insurance.
2. Expect to live much longer.
3. Prepare for inflation.
4. Make investments for growth without too much risk.
5. Withdraw less from savings.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/fidelity/2015/03/04/five-ways-to-protect-your-retirement-income/

5 NECESSARY STEPS IN PREPARING FOR LONG-TERM CARE NEEDS

LTC Options’ planning experts identify the essential steps for adults preparing for their future long-term care needs.

Location, Date - Planning experts from LTC Options, an informative resource for long-term care planning, have identified the five most crucial steps in being ready for the costs of long-term care in the future.

Because of the high likelihood of needing long-term care – 7 out of 10 individuals age 65 and above will need long-term care according to the Department of Health and Human Services – preparing for possible long-term care expenses is important for a comfortable retirement.

LTCOptions.com, which specializes in providing important long-term care information, outlines five key points in preparing for this need:

Learn about your care options. Long-term care services vary widely and can be provided at home or in more dedicated care settings. Though most individuals prefer to stay at home, certain medical conditions may require receiving care in other facilities. 

Check costs of care services in your area. By knowing how much long-term care services cost, individuals can calculate whether their savings and assets would be sufficient for their possible needs in the future. Moving to a different location in retirement can also be considered.

Determine how you will pay for care. Because care is expensive, paying out-of-pocket is not recommended as it could easily deplete life savings. Find out if getting long-term care insurance is financially sound or look at other alternatives. It’s also important to understand the limitations of federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Seek expert planning help. Retirement planning specialists can present solutions and provide advice that could be invaluable in formulating an effective plan for long-term care.

Finalize your long-term care plan. Once all options and considerations have been examined, follow through on decisions made during the process. The best time to take action is during the late 40s to mid 50s as there are more choices available for individuals and couples at this age.

Following these steps will help families in being ready for the challenges of needing long-term care in the future. For more information, visit https://www.ltcoptions.com/.

-

LTC Options aims to educate the American public of the impending need for long-term care in the near future. Discover your long-term care planning options by visiting www.ltcoptions.com.

5 Questions to Ask When Considering Care Settings for your Aging Parents

There are some older adults today who depend on their children during the latter part of their lives. If you’re responsible for your parents’ long term care needs, you’ve probably realized that making decisions about choosing the right care settings isn’t easy. To help you make the right decision whether to choose a nursing home or assisted living facility over other housing options, here are some questions you should consider:

1. Do my parents depend on me financially? If so, how much?
2. How much can I really afford to spend?
3. How close do I want them to be?
4. How much work can I realistically do?
5. What can I do to get ahead of any major problems/crises?

You can find more details when you click here.