| When most people think of long-term care, they | | | | However, the patient is close enough to the |
| think of someone in the golden years of their life, | | | | nursing home facility that someone is readily |
| but an illness or accident can strike anyone of any | | | | available to assist the patient whenever needed, |
| age and make this a necessary part of their life. | | | | thus the term, "assisted living." This allows the |
| It isn't easy for many people to admit they need | | | | patient some type of independence while giving |
| help with their every day living, but for some, the | | | | them the assistance they need as well. Many |
| simple task of eating becomes a chore.Another | | | | people who become dependent on others feel like |
| misconception is that long-term care means a | | | | they are a burden, but with assisted living, help is |
| stay in a nursing home or rehabilitation center, but | | | | there if it's needed, and the patient is able to do |
| this is not always the case. With the portability of | | | | the things for himself that he is able to |
| medical equipment today, it is often preferred | | | | do.Fortunately, the term long-term care has lost |
| that patients remain in their own home if possible. | | | | the stigma it used to have for patients, and they |
| Insurance companies prefer to pay for full-time | | | | are now more receptive to accepting help when it |
| home care instead of nursing home care, feeling | | | | is needed. This is likely due to the introduction of |
| that it is more cost effective and beneficial to the | | | | both the assisted living and the in-home nursing |
| patient's well being.Long-term care doesn't even | | | | care that allows a patient to remain in the |
| need to mean that the patient cannot do for | | | | comfort of his home as long as possible. Even |
| himself or herself. It can mean simply a patient | | | | twenty years ago this was a "baby" to the |
| who has an ongoing condition that requires the | | | | medical field, but with the insurance companies |
| services of a health care professional on a routine | | | | pushing for less hospital time, and the patients |
| basis for things the patient is no longer able to do | | | | wanting to hurry home from the hospital to tend |
| for him or herself. This can mean preparing and | | | | to other family members, it has become |
| planning meals, care of personal hygiene, dressing, | | | | commonplace. As the generation of middle-aged |
| household chores including shopping and | | | | citizens enters their senior years, this practice will |
| paperwork, and any medical needs.In addition to | | | | likely become more common. Long-term care is |
| in-home and nursing home facilities, another type | | | | changing its face every day.Sandy Sizemore |
| of long-term care facility is called assisted living. In | | | | writes on many consumer related topics including |
| this setting, the patient has his or her own | | | | health care. You can find out what is long term |
| apartment or quarters where the patient lives and | | | | care and learn about the cost of nursing homes |
| tends to their needs as much as possible. | | | | and more by visiting our health care website. |