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