Deciding to place your parent or loved one into a nursing home requires a lot of thought and preparation. After that decision, one major area of concern is adjusting from living at home to living in a nursing home. Make sure that the nursing home staff is not only aware of these transitions but that they are well-equipped to help residents manage these changes.
Higher than Expected Expenses
In preparing to make a transition to nursing home life, you have to anticipate the difference in the cost of living. Generally, it’s less expensive to live at home than at the facility. This is something that must be taken into consideration. Although some expenses are covered by private insurance providers, such as Medicare, the monthly charges can add up quickly.
Loss of Freedom
One of the biggest adjustments that nursing home residents have to make revolves around not being able to control their schedule. While many nursing homes will offer many social activities that residents can engage in, they have to deal with having less freedom. Instead of being able to independently decide to go off on their own and engage in an activity of their choice, they are limited by the activities that are decided by the nursing home staff.
Living with Other People
Related to the loss of freedom of choice in what to do with their time, a nursing home resident is suddenly living with other people they don’t know. Before moving in, many residents lived alone or with their families, so it’s a drastic change to begin living with strangers. There are advantages to living with others, such as companionship and being around a peer group. But it can still be a difficult adjustment to make. Your loved one’s demeanor may change during this time. The nursing home staff should recognize this and be sensitive.
Not Enough Say in the Treatment Plan
Nursing home residents have the right to make their own health decisions. However, when they enter the facility, they may not feel as though they have enough autonomy.
The Size of Living Arrangements
Related to the change from moving to a home or apartment to now living with other people, another aspect of the change is the size of the living arrangements. Going from your own home or even an apartment where you have the run of the house is very different from having a room (often with a roommate) with small square footage. Residents may not be comfortable in such tiny quarters. This can bring up issues for those residents that wander and move around, so be sure to keep this in mind for the facility that you choose.
Keep Your Loved One Safe as They Transition from Home to Nursing Home
When your loved one or relative makes the move from independent living to nursing home life, there may various bumps in the road. Typically, the nursing home administrators and staff are well aware of these issues and will act accordingly to deal with them. However, sometimes the problems aren’t dealt with properly and can signal problems of neglect in the nursing home. If you’ve recently placed your loved one into a new facility and they are dealing with these issues, or their current home’s inattention to their needs constitutes neglect or negligence, then get help. Talk to one of our skilled Walton Law lawyers. Contact us today to learn more.