50+ Lifestyles

Your Advocacy Connection

By Kathy Nitz
GolderCare Solutions
We Solve Long Term Care Problems

Care Needs…It Isn’t Zero to a Hundred

When people call our office, often times I am the person who takes the call to determine what they need and how we can help. The typical call starts out something like this:

Me: Good Morning, GolderCare, this is Kathy.

Caller: Hi! I just got back from the doctor with my mother.  He says she can’t live alone at home anymore. What nursing home should I put her in?

That is when I start frothing at the mouth and get all excited. Not really…but I am so frustrated with the perception that people stay home too long and then think they have to automatically go to a nursing home. In their defense, the senior housing market rarely makes it clear to the consumers the difference in levels of care and the vast difference in facilities and what they offer. It just isn’t ZERO to 100!

But what does that mean? It means that just because you are having some issues that warrant outside help, it doesn’t mean that the next step is a nursing home.  By enlisting the right level of help at the right time, it increases the chances that you can maintain your independence for that much longer.  Unfortunately, I see folks wait until a situation is dire before they will even consider (a) telling someone (family, friends, neighbors or doctor) about it; (b) exploring options for help, or (c) accepting help. What they don’t understand is by waiting too long to get help when they really need it, they may be increasing the likelihood of need to move to nursing level of care sooner than they otherwise would.

“Need” sneaks up on a person. We often don’t notice it ourselves, but hopefully, those around us will notice and help us access help.   You need to be willing to accept help when it’s offered. It’s not time for a nursing home just because you need a little help with meals, housework and medications. There are multiple services in our area that can provide this type of occasional help. We refer to it as “home care.”

When the doctor says Mom can no longer live at home alone, she may be able to go to independent living but in a congregate living facility.  There is always somebody there to help, but you can maintain your independence and personal life. Maybe cooking is an issue.  Some independent living facilities offer meal plans for those that no longer can cook – or maybe just don’t want to anymore!

Maybe Mom needs a little more help, but she doesn’t need 24 hour nursing care. There are a lot of assisted living facilities in the QC area. Every one of them has a different floor plan, meal plan, activities, amenities and levels of care.  People have a tendency to be socially isolated at home alone.  In Assisted Living facilities, there is always something to do and somebody to do it with!  Some help with medication management and assistance with bathing, some go on outings and some have swimming pools! Sign me up!!

Again, it’s not 0-100. There are multiple steps, considerations and options along the way that help us to remain as independent as possible. Our goal is to keep folks at the least restrictive level of care [home, independent living, assisted living] for as long as possible. Not only do we need to look at the care need, but also how to pay for it and ensure our loved ones are in a position to help manage our care when we need it most. All too often we just don’t know what to do, and GolderCare can help you understand your options for care and payment.

Kathy Nitz is the Lead Benefits Advocate for GolderCare Solutions. She uses her wealth of knowledge and experience in benefits planning to advocate for seniors and those who are disabled.  You can reach GolderCare at (309) 764-2273 and learn more at www.goldercare.com.