The Time to Plan for Long Term Care is Now
April 26, 2006 by Jerri Lynn Ward, J.D.
Filed under Other Posts
Long term care expert Catherine Hawes, Ph.D., a professor at the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, says: “We spend more time doing research about a car we want to buy than we do when selecting a nursing home or assisted living facility.” (Medical News Today)
Hawes is right, of course. We have a tendency to focus more on our immediate needs and less on some distant possibility in the future. Because we’re living longer, however, at some point we may need to be cared for by others. Now is the time to start planning.
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) maintains a database of providers. You can also get in touch with your Area Agency on Aging by contacting DADS at (800) 252-9240.
The American Health Care Association is a good resource for providers and people looking for quality long term care.
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The last people to ask for reference to a good nursing home is DADS or THCA. THCA is the nursing home association that makes sure nursing homes are not punished for violations. DADS can only refer you to Nursing Home Compare which tells nothing.
You should choose a nursing home close so you can visit. You should attend the family council meetings and be vocal about concerns. Not enoug reimbursement is not an excuse because nursing homes get plenty of corporate money that is not shared with the local nursing home.
So if quality care is missing it is the community fault for not being nvolved.