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Moving a loved one to a nursing home during Covid-19? Here are factors to consider.
With the Covid-19 pandemic ongoing and the future unclear, deciding on housing and care for aging loved ones has never been more difficult. While there are various benefits to congregated living in nursing homes and other assisted living facilities, the current public health crisis poses risks to elderly populations. It is crucial that you consider all options.
Finding home care and housing options for an aging loved one can be difficult to navigate even in the best of times. There are several factors that determine the best options for housing and care services such as personal goals, preferences and healthcare needs.
The first thing to remember is that, in addition to private pay, there are various public programs available that can cover certain services (including home services that could avert an elderly loved one’s unnecessary exposure to the virus). These programs are include Medicare, Medicaid, Older Americans Act, and The Department of Veterans Affairs. It is critical that you understand all of your options and how services will be delivered and covered.
At Peacefully, we have provided some basic factors when considering transitioning a loved one to (or from, or between) a nursing home.
Understanding what long-term care is
Long-term care includes a range of services and supports you may depend on in order for your loved one to have their personal care needs met. Oftentimes these are not medical needs but rather non-skilled services such as activities of daily living and/or instrumental activities of daily living. These activities include bathing, eating, managing finances and medication.
Understanding what a nursing home is, and how it differs from assisted living:
A nursing home is a place for individuals that can no longer be cared for at home and require 24-hour nursing care. Medicare provides quality ratings for Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing homes that can help you compare which facility may be the best fit for your loved one.
An independent/assisted living facility is, as its name implies, one in which the resident is afforded some level of independence with necessary daily tasks like cooking/eating, exercising, observing medical needs, and the like. While there are risks to congregated living, these facilities may be beneficial because of reduced mandatory exposure to other residents (i.e. at meals) than in a nursing home. Be sure to consider this option if your loved one is still at a level of independent capability.
For more on the different types of care facilities, please click here
Understanding home health services:
Most at-home health services are private pay. However, while traditional Medicare typically doesn’t cover home healthcare services, Medicare Advantage plans may. Medicare Advantage plans may cover skilled home health and non-medical home health services. Search for Medicare Advantage plans here, and make an effort to seek out plans that cover at-home health services.
If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan or considering enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan, inquire directly with your plan to confirm what services are available.
Understanding what Medicare will cover for nursing home services:
In general, Medicare Part A is focused on short term care provided in a nursing home. There are very specific eligibility rules and criteria that must be met. Medicare Part A will only cover skilled services or rehabilitative care in a nursing home. The maximum stay in a nursing home that Medicare will cover is 100 days with the average being 22 days. Medicare will not cover non-skilled services.
Understanding what Medicaid covers:
Medicaid covers the greatest amount of long-term care services. To qualify for Medicaid, your income must be below a certain level and you must meet minimum state eligibility requirements.
Understanding the precautions nursing homes are taking:
If your loved one is currently living in a nursing home, make sure you understand the process and precautions the nursing home is taking to protect their staff, residents and visitors. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released new guidance to ensure Nursing Homes are prepared to limit the COVID-19 exposure.
If you are considering moving a loved one to a nursing home, it is essential that you ask about what they are doing to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among their population. If they don’t show a reasonable level of awareness of and demonstrable adherence to the above guidance, it should go without saying that they cannot be considered safe.
If you need more help weighing these difficult decisions, talk to our concierge service here at peacefully. They are available to offer case-specific advice and recommendations about decisions like this. For more about our concierge service or to schedule a free consultation, click here.