1. Click below to PLAY the Introductory Video

2. This presentation will help you:  Identify things you’ll need to know  Identify things you’ll want to know  Locate Resources available for you

3. This presentation will help you:  Understand & Compare the Information  Formulate Questions to Ask  Make an Informed Decision

4. Not all facilities are alike. Depending on your needs there are three general types of care that may be available: 1.Skilled level of care 2.Intermediate level of care 3.Assisted living care

5. Skilled Level of Care: This level of care requires skilled medical care by medical personnel such as a registered nurse (RN), physical therapist (PT), or an occupational therapist (OT).

6. Intermediate Level of Care: This level of care is for individuals who have stable conditions that require daily care, and some nursing supervision, and often involves assistance in performing daily routine tasks, such as bathing and eating.

7. Assisted Living or Community Residential Care: This level of care is for individuals who require simple assistance with bathing, eating, grooming, dressing, and other routine tasks.

8. If You’re Helping Another Person: Helping another person choose a Long Term Care Facility can be difficult. Be sure to include the person you’re helping in decisions as much as possible. Always make decisions with his or her needs and preferences in mind.

9. Terms and Acronyms You May See: SNF  Skilled Nursing Facility LOS  Length of Stay POC  Plan of Care ADL’s  Activities of Daily Living ROM  Rang of Motion

10. Terms and Acronyms You May See: OT  Occupational Therapy PT  Physical Therapy RN  Registered Nurse LPN  Licensed Practical Nurse CNA  Certified Nursing Assistant

11. Terms and Acronyms You May See: CVA  Cerebral Vascular Accident HTN  Hypertension DM2  Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 CHF  Congestive Heart Failure COPD  Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive Disease RA  Rheumatoid Arthritis

12. Terms and Acronyms You May See: QC  Quad Cane PUW  Pick Up Walker RW  Rolling Walker NWB  Non Weight Bearing PWB  Partial Weight Bearing

13. State of Ohio Long Term Care Ombudsman (800)282-1206 or Nationally at (202)-332-2275 An ombudsman: is a state or county government- funded advocate for residents of Long Term Care (LTC) facilities.

14. An ombudsman: assist residents and others by: 1.Educating consumers and long-term care providers about residents’ rights and good care practices. 2.Providing information to the public on long-term care facilities and policy issues.

15. An ombudsman: assist residents and others by: 3.Help you find and interpret information from state inspection reports and the other quality measures. 4.Investigate complaints filed against a particular facility (substantiated or unsubstantiated). www.theconsumervoice.org/ombudsman/ohio

16. The Eldercare Locator: Is a public service of the Administration on Aging, & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It provides a resource that connects older Americans and their caregivers with information for many senior services. www.eldercare.gov Phone: (800) 667-1116

17. The Medicare Nursing Home Compare: A great tool for finding detailed information about every Medicare and Medicaid-LTC facilities and nursing home in the country.

18. The Medicare Nursing Home Compare: You can… 1.Find Nursing Homes in your area. 2.Compare the quality of the nursing Homes you're considering using the Five-Star Quality Ratings, health inspection results, nursing home staff data, and other quality measures.

19. The Medicare Nursing Home Compare: You can… 3.Use the Nursing Home Checklist resources when visiting the Long Term Care facilities you're considering. www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/asap

20. MemberoftheFamily.net Get the nursing home care your loved one deserves. MemberoftheFamily.net: provides information on about 16,000 U.S. Long Term Care Facilities. They offer easy-to-understand reports based on recent government surveys.

21. MemberoftheFamily.net Get the nursing home care your loved one deserves. MemberoftheFamily.net: Has a National Watch List of homes cited for violations or substantiated complaints. They also maintain an Honor Roll of places found to be deficiency-free. www.memberofthefamily.net

22. The Long-Term Care Consumer Guide: provides information about Long Term Care facilities and assisted living facilities to help consumers, family members and professionals search for the appropriate facility to meet an individual’s needs.

23. The Long-Term Care Consumer Guide: Is a great place start to comparing facilities by using their Ohio Long-Term Care Consumer Guide. http://www.ltcohio.org/ Phone: (614)466-5500

24. Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging: Is a resource for older adults and their families. COAAA provides information, resources and education to the community, and provides services to promote independent living in the home. http://www.coaaa.org Phone: (800) 589-7277

25. The Administration on Aging: Is a Federal agency resource that can give you a list of the long-term care choices in your state. They can help you find a Long Term Care facility. www.aoa.gov Phone: (202)-619-0724

26. The Joint Commission (TJC): is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting high performance standards. www.jointcommission.org Phone: (800) 589-7277

27. Quality of care: Can the primary caregiver meet the person’s needs? Can the facility offer the rehab services that I need? Staffing levels are an important factor to consider in evaluating the quality of care given at a facility.

28. Quality of care: What activities are residents involved in? What kind of skilled therapy services are available? How does the facility ensure family and patient participation creating the plan of care?

29. Quality of care: Does the facility respect the patient’s wishes with their schedule (bedtime, baths, meals)? Are staff responsive to resident requests (Call lights answered promptly)?

30. Quality of care: Will insurance or government funding (Medicare, Medicaid, state health plans) cover the cost? Is transportation provided to Dr. appointments or community activities? What level of privacy can I expect at this facility?

31. Facility Questions: What type of ownership does the facility have (for-profit, non-profit, church-related, etc.)? What type of payments are accepted (Medicare, Medicaid, or both)?

32. Facility Questions: Is the facility Certified and Accredited by the Joint Commission? Does the facility have beds available? How long has the facility been in operation?

33. Facility Questions: Does the facility have full-time therapy staff including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy? Does the facility conduct home visits before discharging patients back to their homes?

34. Planning a Visit: Narrowed down your list of facilities and make a plan to visit each one. Make sure to bring a visit checklist from as a resource to guide your observations and questions.

35. Planning a Visit: You can learn a great deal about a LTC facility by taking time to sit and observe how staff interacts with residents. Talk with residents and their family members to get a full understanding of life at the Facility.

36. Planning a Visit: Does the facility appear and smell clean? What kinds of meals are normally served? Do they look nutritious and appetizing? How are special diets handled? What kind of help is available to patients for meals?

37. Planning a Visit: What quality of life activities are available for residents? Are outdoor activities available, health permitting? Is the staff experienced in treating your type of health concerns?

38. Visit Again: It’s a good idea to visit the facility a second time. Try to visit the facility on a different day of the week and at a different time of day than your first visit. Staffing can vary at different times of the day and night and also on weekends.

39. Making an Informed Decision: Choose the facility that meets your personal needs. Talk with people who understand your personal and health care needs (family, friends, doctor, clergy). Use all the information you gather to compare. Trust yourself… Trust your senses!!

40. www.aoa.gov www.coaaa.org www.eldercare.gov www.jointcommission.org www.ltcohio.org/ www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/asap www.memberofthefamily.net www.theconsumervoice.org/ombudsman/ohio