How to Find the Best Skilled Nursing for Your Parent

Finding the right Skilled Nursing care for your parent can be a stressful experience because you want to make sure you make the best choice for your loved one and their unique situation.

How do you make the best-informed decision? Unfortunately, there’s no one source to turn to; instead, you will need to consult several sources. However, when used together, they can help you see the whole picture so you can feel confident you are making the right decision.

Here are some tips to help you choose the best option:

Word of Mouth—One of the best places to start your search is to ask people you know for suggestions. Keep in mind that word of mouth can be highly subjective. What is right for another person may not be what’s right for your parent.

You can also consult your doctor or other local social services and healthcare providers.

Government Agencies—Another place to assess your options is a government rating agency, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which ranks care providers on a five-star scale.

For instance, Ridge Crest at Meadow Ridge in Redding, CT has a fivestar rating in all categories (health,

How to Find the Best Skilled Nursing for Your Parent staffing and quality measures) and a five-star overall rating. Five-star communities are recognized as being far above average and providing the highest levels of care. Professional Reviews— Consult a respective leader in health rankings, such as U.S. News & World Report, which publishes a yearly review of senior care communities. More than 15,000 facilities are evaluated and rated to help you compare communities of interest against each other.

More Ways to Evaluate Communities

Finally, AARP recommends making an in-person visit to the communities that interest you. There, you can talk to and observe both associates and residents. You will learn more about the communities from the people who know them best and get answers to any questions you may have. There are many choices when it comes to Skilled Nursing. However, taking the time to get informed will make you feel confident in your final decision and ensure optimal health outcomes. ~ Editor’s Note: This article was submitted by Carla Dunford, Ridge Crest Administrator at Meadow Ridge and may be reached at 203-544-1000 or by email at cdunford@benchmarkquality.com

Senior Housing Definitions continued from page 113

a private or shared bath, meals, activities, transportation, phone service, cable television and all personal/nursing care. Payor sources usually accepted are Medicare, Medicaid, VA, some insurance plans and private sources.

TRACH CARE - Refers to care administered to patients who have undergone a tracheotomy. A tracheotomy is a surgical procedure in which a cut or opening is made in the windpipe (trachea). The surgeon inserts a tube into the opening to bypass an obstruction, allow air to get to the lungs, or remove secretions. VENTILATOR - Moves breatheable air into and out of the lungs, to provide the mechanism of breathing for a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or is breathing insufficiently.

WANDERGUARD - Offered at some facilities. A resident with memory loss or confusion wears a small discrete pendant. Each external door in the care home is fitted with a radio detector which detects when a pendant moves near an exit. The WanderGuard will sound an audible alarm, alerting the staff of a patient wandering. ~

Hospice Care Definitions continued from page 97

PCP-OVERSIGHT – Can the hospice patient retain their own primary care physician in addition to the hospice medical director? All hospice organizations require a medical director, a physician to oversee their care. Many times the hospice medical director will work in conjunction with the patient’s own physician. The patient, family and hospice team can determine which physicians will oversee the care and certify the hospice eligibility criteria.

PET THERAPY – There’s nothing like a visit from a four-legged creature to brighten the day of a terminally ill patient. Pet therapy teams visit with patients wherever they reside – at home or in professional care settings. For some patients, contact with these gentle animals evokes memories of pets in their lives, past or present. Studies have shown many benefits of pet companionship, ranging from reduced blood pressure and anxiety to relief from boredom, pain and loneliness. This service is not reimbursed by Medicare, it is an added benefit that select hospice companies have decided to provide for their patients.

VA CONTRACT – If the patient is not a Medicare recipient and is covered by the VA, the VA will make payments directly to their contracted agencies. If a patient is a Veteran, but is a Medicare Recipient, they may choose any Medicare approved hospice agency for their care. ~

What do you want to pass down to your children and grandchildren? Many people respond to that question by saying “the house, a car, money or Great-Aunt-Betty’s ruby ring”.

But have you ever considered the things that you may be missing such as the reason behind the family traditions you practice, lessons you’ve learned in life or the stories that made you who you are today?

All of these components make up your legacy. A legacy is a collection of items passed down from one generation of family to the next. We are accustomed to hearing about the first set of answers above, but until now it hasn’t been possible to pass down the things that aren’t physical items.

You have spent a lifetime creating family traditions, instilling values in your children, gathering real life experiences and the lessons that

Are You Passing Down the Right Things? come along with them. The possibility of passing on that information is incredibly powerful. Not only is it nostalgic and wonderful, but it also allows your legacy to live on far beyond your life. Imagine if you could record a video describing your family tree with photos and stories of each person rather than simply showing one on paper. What if you could leave a message to your future granddaughter to open on her wedding day – one that is beyond your days. Conversely, what would it be like to watch a video of your grandparents having done that for you? Finally, technology has caught up to where you now have the opportunity to not only record these types of messages and stories, but also secure them permanently and privately so they can be passed on to the family members of your choice. We all leave behind a legacy when we go, so I encourage you to consider this question: Are you passing down the right things? ~ Editor’s Note: This article was submitted by Robyn Sechler of Securing Memories. To secure your legacy visit www.SecuringMemories.com