Healthcare needs can increase as you age. When you are making decisions, it’s important to think about what works best for you. Get to know resources and tips for help along the way.
As we age, it’s not uncommon for healthcare to become a bigger part of life. A new diagnosis or a health event, such as a heart attack or stroke or broken bone, can create new demands.
To stay in control, Penn State Health recommends keeping up with preventive healthcare to help head off surprises. Often, a new diagnosis presents a learning curve. Talk to others, they suggest, and work with your doctor to make sure you understand what to expect and what you need.
Outpatient Care
Older adults spend 50 days out of the year engaging in healthcare appointments outside the home, found research funded by the National Institute on Aging. That care can be visits to doctors and specialists, imaging tests, lab tests, procedures, or therapy appointments. This can be overwhelming, and it’s important to stay in control. You always have a right to clarify what is being done—and why, suggest researchers. These tips can also help:
- Call on a trusted friend or family member to participate in medical appointments
- As possible, schedule multiple appointments and tests on the same day
- Tap into community resources, such as transportation
- Ask your healthcare provider if you can use telehealth for certain appointments.
Your Area Agency on Aging
As your health and healthcare needs change, it helps to be aware of resources near you. For example, your Area Agency on Aging can assist with caregiving resources, assistance programs, and healthcare transitions. The National Poll on Healthy Aging found that fewer than 1 in 10 older adults (age 50+) has tapped into their Area Agency on Aging or state-health insurance programs; most don’t know much about them.
The Poll also found that when people do reach out, it’s often in times of crisis. “So, the message that support is available, and how to find it when it’s needed, could help people plan,” said one of the researchers.
In Northwest Indiana, CoAction is the Area 1 Agency on Aging. To explore how the team can support you, just complete the services request form online.
Long-Term Care Options
A number of situations can make living at home impractical. Alternatives include assisted living, short-term rehab stays, and skilled nursing (nursing home) care.
Assisted living provides housing, personal care, and services for individuals who need help with daily activities but don’t require the intensive care of a nursing home. It may be an option for someone whose physical or cognitive health is declining. It can be a fit for someone who is having trouble with bathing, moving around, housekeeping, and managing medicines, for example. Nursing staff are available to help with medical needs. Assisted living provides a level of independence, but with on-site supports. An assisted living community also offers social benefits, with opportunities for friendships and activities.
Short-term rehab provides skilled nursing support following a surgery, injury, stroke, or other major health event. A person is discharged from the hospital into a rehab facility that provides skilled nursing services. The goal of rehab is to help a person regain independence. Physical, occupational, and speech therapies can play a big role. Through rehabilitation, a person is often able to go home with renewed skills and confidence.
Nursing home: A nursing home offers round-the-clock medical supervision and skilled nursing care and therapies. Many homes offer a range of specialized medical services, too, such as pain management. Meals, housekeeping, personal care, and activities are provided. Help with mobility and feeding are available for anyone who needs it. A nursing home can be an option for someone whose physical and/or cognitive health is significantly declining. It can also be a safer environment for someone who is struggling to manage daily needs. Some nursing homes have special units for Memory Care, offering a safe, structured, and stimulating care environment for people living with dementia.
Many people fear losing their identities and sense of control when making a move. Most long-term care organizations aim to provide what is called “person-centered care”. This approach is “responsive to individuals and their goals, values and preferences, in a system that supports good provider–patient communication and empowers individuals receiving care and providers to make effective care plans together,” explains CMS.
How do you choose a nursing home? You can talk to your healthcare team, friends, and family. You can also research options online. Check the Medicare Compare website to locate options near you and review their performance ratings. You can reach out to CoAction for Options Counseling, too.
Paying for Long-Term Care
Healthcare options can become expensive in the later years. As mentioned in the blog, Housing Options for Older Adults, assisted living is not paid for by Medicare. For skilled nursing, Medicare “may cover short-term nursing and other related care, like rehab care,” explains Medicare in its Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home. Some people rely on Medicaid to pay for longer-term stays, and there are financial rules that govern this. VA may offer support for veterans. For help navigating this system, you can contact CoAction or an attorney who specializes in elder law.
Long-term care insurance is another option some people use to pay for home care, assisted living, nursing home care, and other healthcare services. It requires an insurance policy, which is most effective if purchased earlier in life. Learn more about long-term care insurance on the AARP website.
Ombudsman Program
One of the services available to older adults is the Indiana Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. A certified long-term care ombudsman can receive complaints and help resolve problems related to nursing home care. Their role is to promote and protect rights that are guaranteed to residents by law. Why do people contact the ombudsman? Here are common examples noted on the CoAction website:
- Problems with care — call lights not being answered, problems with medication being administered, poor hygiene, etc.
- Violations of rights — privacy issues, loss of dignity issues, poor staff attitudes, emotional and verbal abuses, etc.
- Problems with transfers and discharges — improperly discharged, non-disclosed service fees, refused readmission, Medicaid discrimination, etc.
A Transition to Long-Term Care
Most older adults prefer to age well at home. Many forms of support in the home can help. Yet sometimes, health conditions impose more demands than can be met by a family caregiver or others. Deciding to make a change can be a very difficult decision for all involved. It can help to have open discussions with those you love and make “what-if” plans ahead of time, in case long-term supports should be needed in the future. A plan can address your choices and preferences, as well as a financial plan. This can relieve the stress of decision-making in times of crisis.
Moving to a new home can be hard at any age, and there can be many fears and stresses. Long-term care providers have experienced staff who can help ease the transition.
For more information about long-term care options and planning, check out these resources:
- Choosing an Assisted Living Residence: A Consumer’s Guide, from the American Healthcare Association and National Center for Assisted Living
- How To Choose a Nursing Home or Other Long-Term Care Facility, from the National Institute on Aging
- A Guide for Families Making the Transition to Nursing Facility Life, from the American Healthcare Association and National Center for Assisted Living
- Your Rights and Protections as a Nursing Home Resident, from CMS
- When It’s Time for a Nursing Home, from AARP
Kep in mind that “home” can be different places at various times in life, depending on your health-related needs. When you have a caring community and the right supports around you, home is where you can feel happy, safe, and fulfilled.