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Guides to nursing home possibilities
Below are calls Elder Services' Information and Referral (I&R) Department recently received about elder-related problems or issues.
Q: My mother’s care has become too much to handle, and we are thinking of placing her in a nursing home. How do we go about doing this? How do I select the right one?
A: Discuss plans with your mother first. Consult with your mother’s physician concerning her health status and the appropriateness of a nursing facility placement. You may want to visit several nursing facilities to decide which one would be most appropriate for your mother. When a decision has been made, call the nursing facility and they will make an appointment to visit your mother at home to determine if her needs require nursing facility care.
Q: I have decided to place my mother in a nursing home. But I want to keep her close to home and family. Are there any nursing homes in my area?
A: Elder Services of Berkshire County can provide the names and phone numbers of nursing homes in your area. Elder Services can also send you a booklet, “A Guide to Long Term Care,” which provides community-based housing information as well as information regarding the nursing facility placement process.
Q: I heard that I need to have my mother screened by Elder Services before she can be placed in a nursing home. What is the screening for?
A: The payer source for nursing facility care is an important issue as the qualifying guidelines are different for each payer source. If Medicaid is to be the payer for nursing facility care, then the process of nursing facility placement should begin with a call to Elder Services of Berkshire County. An Elder Services nurse will make an assessment visit to gather information and determine if the person requiring assistance can best be served in the community or in a nursing facility.
The screening results in a decision for approval or denial of Medicaid clinical eligibility for nursing facility placement. For further information, contact Elder Services at 413-499-0524 or 1-800-544-5242, or visit Elder Services’ website at www.esbci.org.