There Are Various Options When Chronic Care Is Needed

By Cathy Mercer


Chronic care, also referred to as long-term healthcare, involves numerous services that center on offering help to individuals with illnesses or disabilities of a chronic nature. A patient may only need mild assistance, or the person may be entirely incapacitated. Individuals of all ages can be affected by such handicaps, but many who need help of this type are elderly.

Experts predict that approximately 12 million Americans will need long-term assistance by the year 2014. This is why if it appears that a person will need such help in the future, advance planning is vital. Discussing such eventualities with loved ones is always a good idea for any person, particularly those who are elderly. This way, if the individual becomes incapacitated or disabled, his or her wishes can be carried out by family members.

Services of this kind can be acquired even if the person is still residing at home. Volunteers, employees from home healthcare agencies, or a combination of both alternatives can often be utilized in order to allow the person to maintain his or her independence for longer period of time than if no assistance was given. In other cases, a long-term care facility is the only realistic option.

Those who have illnesses or disabilities that make it impossible for them to remain at home may he enrolled in adult day care. The latter is a service for those who needs supervision, but can return home when other adults are present to offer assistance if it is needed. Such facilities typically take only a limited number of individuals, so that each person has proper supervision during the time they are at the establishment.

Residential facilities or group homes are other options one has when it is no longer realistic to live independently. Residents of such establishments are typically given assistance with the activities of daily living, and if a nurse is on staff, the administration of medications. Individuals are usually on staff twenty-four hours a day to help residents of such homes.

A similar option to the one outlined above is an assisted living establishment. The latter also provide personal care twenty-four hours a day, but this help is limited to moderate assistance. Those who choose to dwell at such an establishment must be able to move and walk and without help.

Skilled nursing facilities are the best choice for those who cannot live safely in one of the aforementioned communities. Also called nursing homes, such establishments offer a wide range of health services including medical treatment and the administration of medication. Registered nurses are typically on staff at all times, and residents are also offered recreational activities if they are able to participate.

Regarding payment for services of this type, clients have various alternatives in most instances. For example, if the person has reached the appropriate age, he or she may qualify for Medicare. The person may also have a medical insurance policy that includes long-term care benefits. In some instances, services of this kind are paid for by the patient's family, which is referred to as private-pay. Those in need of chronic care should consider all their alternatives before a final decision is made.




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