The Cost of Nursing Care for Seniors Who Need Full Time Care

Committing seniors who need full time nursing care to a facility can be a wrenching decision. The emotional aspect can be overwhelming in an of itself, and the financial outlay can also make a person think twice. But, given the needs of any single person, it might not be as prohibitive as you think. Here are some factors to think about when considering full time care for your family member.

Regular full time needs

When someone enters into full time nursing care, he’s not keeping a separate home anymore. The costs of keeping your own home are very high for anyone, when you take into account rent or mortgage, plus utilities, maintenance, food preparation, and everything else that goes into keeping a clean and running home. All of these are included in the cost of full time nursing care, including all meals and cleaning services. There are no separate bills, so even if the cost seems steep, it’s an all-inclusive deal that altogether probably comes out to less than keeping home for the patient.

Some of the amenities included in the full care experience are:

• Ampersonal television set with cable
• Wi-fi
• Recreational activities
• Local trips
• Religious services

If the patient was previously living with another person, the way to make it work would be for the other person to downsize, since he doesn’t need the same accommodations after the patient leaves, which will help him save money overall.

Individual needs

Individual patients may need some services that are not included in the basic services. These may include:

• Transfer to a hospital when necessary, which may be covered by insurance.
• Medications, which may be covered by insurance.
• Clothing and laundry, which family members can purchase and clean.
• Grooming – haircuts and nail care.
• Outside meals – our facility provides a delicious dining experience, but unless the patient is under strict dietary rules, he is allowed to bring in food from other places. When family visits, for example, they can sit together in a family room, enjoying each other’s company with food brought in.

Making nursing care work

Despite the workable costs, some families may find it difficult to cover the complete experience. Many times insurance, specifically Medicare, will cover some of the costs associated with nursing care. You can speak to a local Medicare office to describe your personal situation and see what they cover, how they can help you, and what steps they suggest to take to make full time nursing care a reality. The information is readily available at the Medicare Web site. The New Jersey Medicare office, State Health Assistance Program, can be accessed at the SHIP web site.

At the Alameda Center, we want to make nursing care a reality for the patients who need it. Whether they have a physical or mental disability, our trained and dedicated staff is here to help them with their needs, providing 24/7 care. We have a state of the art building with modern conveniences and many amenities. Speak to one of our representatives today to see how can help you.