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The other alternatives to nursing home care, besides Program
of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and Social
Managed Care Plan are as follows:
Elder Care Locator
The Elder Care Locator can help you find necessary and convenient
services that serve the elderly in their community. Their
phone number is 1-800-677-1116.
Home and Community Care
A person who is ill or disabled may be able to get help
from a variety of home services that might make moving into
a nursing home unnecessary. Home services include Meals on
Wheels programs, friendly visiting and shopper services,
and adult day care. These programs are found in most communities.
If you are considering home care, discuss this option with
family members to learn if they are able to help provide
your care or help arrange for other care providers to come
to your home. Some nursing homes may provide respite care
and admit a person in need of care for a short period of
time to give the home care givers a break.
Depending on the case, Medicare, private insurance, and
Medicaid may pay some home care costs that are related to
medical care.
Subsidized Senior Housing (Non-Medical)
There are Federal and State programs that help pay for housing
for older people with low to moderate incomes. Some of these
subsidized facilities offer assistance to residents who need
help with certain tasks, such as shopping and laundry. Residents
generally live independently in an apartment within the senior
housing complex.
Assisted Living (Non-Medical Senior Housing)
If you only need help with a small number of tasks, such
as cooking and laundry, or reminders to take medications,
assisted living facilities maybe an option worth considering. "Assisted
living" is a general term for living arrangements in which
some services are available to residents who still live independently
with in the assisted living complex. In most cases, assisted
living residents pay a regular monthly rent, and then pay
additional fees for the services that they require.
Board and Care Homes
Board and Care homes are group living arrangements designed
to meet the needs of people who cannot live independently,
but do not require nursing home services. These homes offer
a wider range of services than independent living options.
Most provide help with some of the activities of daily living,
including eating, walking, bathing, and toileting. In some
cases, private long-term care insurance and medical assistance
programs will help pay for this type of living arrangement.
Keep in mind that many of these homes do not get payment
from Medicare or Medicaid and are not strictly monitored.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCS)
CCRCs are housing communities that provide different levels
of care based on the residents' needs from independent living
apartments to skilled nursing care in an affiliated nursing
home. Residents move from one setting to another based on
their needs, but continue to remain a part of their CCRC
community. Be sure to check the record of the CCRC's nursing
home. Your CCRC contract usually will require you to use
it. Many CCRCs require a large payment prior to admission
and also charge monthly fees. For this reason, many CCRCs
may be too expensive for older people with modest incomes.
Summary of Options
The options discussed above may work for people who require
less than skilled care, or who require skilled care for only
brief periods of time. Many people with long-term skilled
care needs require a level and amount of care that cannot
be easily handled outside of a nursing home.
To read the rest
of the excellent article on alternatives to nursing home care,
produced by Medicare, please click
here: http://www.medicare.gov/nursing/Alternatives/Other.asp
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