Housing Options

Selecting A Nursing Facility

If you need 24-hour skilled nursing care, several options are available. Sometimes, moving to a nursing home is the best option. When you are selecting a nursing home, taking the following steps will help ensure that you will be satisfied with your new home.

Ask for Recommendations
Talk to people you trust who can help you make a good choice, such as family, friends, or your doctor or other health care providers. Also, contact your local Area Agency on Aging and ask for information.

Narrow your Search
Consider factors that may be important such as location, special care needs, religious or cultural preferences, availability of a room or bed, and cost. Once these have been determined, narrow your search to those nursing homes that meet minimum requirements.

To find out additional information about your preliminary choices, you may want to access the Medicare website. This is a database that provides information and survey findings on nursing homes participating in the Medicare or Medicaid programs.

This database will list the following information about the homes specified:

• Basic information such as number of beds and type of ownership
• Resident information, including the percent with pressure sores, urinary incontinence, etc.
  
• Nursing home inspection summaries
  
• Nursing home staffing ratios If you do not have access to a computer, your local library can be of assistance. You may also contact the Kansas Department on Aging or us.

Visit Potential Nursing Homes
It is suggested that you visit a nursing home you are considering at least twice, one scheduled visit and one random visit. The first visit should be a guided tour by a staff member to familiarize you with the home and its services.

During this visit, you should ask to see a contract to find out the cost of care and any additional fees that may be charged for such items as haircuts, cable television, and activities. Also, ask to see a copy of the most recent state survey report completed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The report will contain information on areas of care where the home did not meet federal and/or state regulations.

The second unannounced visit will allow you the opportunity to see how staff interact with residents, how the meals are served, and how actively involved residents are in determining their own daily schedules. Activities should be provided that you find to be of interest.

Paying for Care
As a rule, paying for nursing home care is a major concern because it is so expensive.

Following is a summary of resources that are generally used:

• Medicare — under limited conditions, will pay for short-term stays following a qualifying hospital stay. To learn more about Medicare, contact the Kansas Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas office (SHICK) at 800-860-5260.
  
• Medicare Supplemental Insurance — often called Medigap. Private insurance that covers such costs as deductibles and co-insurance. May or may not pay for skilled nursing care.
  
• Personal Resources — savings and other investments.
  
• Long-Term Care Insurance — private insurance that pays for skilled nursing care. Benefits and coverage vary according to each policy.
  
• Medicaid — a State and Federal program that will pay most nursing home costs for people with limited income and assets, after personal resources have been exhausted. Your local SRS office can determine if you are financially eligible for this program. When visiting a nursing home, it is important to find out which payment options they accept, as not all nursing homes are certified to accept residents whose care is paid for by Medicare and/or Medicaid.

Resident Rights
Nursing home residents have rights and certain protections under the law. The nursing home must give all new residents a list of these rights, which typically include the following:

• Respect — You have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
• Services and Fees — You must be informed in writing about services and fees before you enter the nursing home.
  
• Money — You have the right to manage your own money or to choose someone else you trust to do this for you.
  
• Privacy — You have the right to privacy, and to keep and use your personal belongings and property as long as it doesn't interfere with the rights, health, or safety of others.
  
• Medical Care — You have the right to be informed about your medical condition, medications, and to see your own doctor. You also have the right to refuse medications and treatments.

Other Research Options
There are also other resources for evaluating nursing homes. Following is a list of contacts and their function, along with other resource materials.

• Kansas Adult Care Executives: 785-273-4393
  
• Kansas Associaiton of Homes and Services for the Aging: 785-233-7443
• Kansas Department on Aging: 800-432-3535
  
• Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS): 800-432-2326 Determines financial eligibility for Medicaid services.
  
• Kansas Department of Health and Environment: 800-842-0078 Complaint hotline for nursing home services.
  
• Kansas Health Care Association: 785-267-6003
  
• Kansas Hospital Association: 785-233-7436
  
• Kansas Long-Term Care Ombudsman: 877-662-8362 Advocate for nursing home residents.
  
• Kansas Advocates for Better Care: 800-525-1780 Compiles information on nursing homes and will provide fact sheet on specific homes for small fee.
  
• Hospice Association of Kansas: 800-767-4965 Provides specialized care for terminally ill residents.
  
• Better Business Bureau: 800-856-2417 Receives and reports complaints on businesses with questionable practices.

For more information, contact the Kansas Department on Aging for a copy of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services booklet entitled "Your Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home."

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