Nursing Homes Versus In-Home Care

Geriatric facilities in general are moving away from providing long term care beds and are instead increasing the number of rehabilitative beds offered.

This is largely due to financial reasons since Medicare will pay up to $600 per day for rehabilitative bed whereas Medicaid will only pay approximately $125 per day for a long-term care bed. This means there is decreasing availability of long term care beds and seniors will find it increasingly challenging to find places in high quality facilities. This is why increasingly home services are becoming an option.

A senior can initiate this process on their own or family members may sit down and discuss the benefits of having an elderly loved one receive aging at home care. In-home healthcare can provide a sense of familiarity and clear structure for a loved who needs additional assistance. Home care options can frequently be much less expensive than placement in a permanent facility, given that according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, home care options cost around $6500 per month.

This allows for an increased mental health status, better feelings of dignity, and decreased healing time when a person is able to stay in their own home. Furthermore, family members may still continue to provide caretaking assistance while also knowing that they have a professional who is on hand to help as necessary. To learn more about the aging in place process, discuss this with your experienced estate planning lawyer.