7 Questions to Ask When Touring a Health Care Community
Health care communities serve residents in both short and long-term capacity. These diverse communities offer around-the-clock skilled nursing care, making them ideal places for adults who are living with complex medical conditions, chronic pain or other conditions that might need extensive nursing oversight.
Choosing the right health care community can be crucial. Here are a few questions to ask in order to ensure you are selecting the right one for yourself or your loved one.
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Do you have short-term beds available?
If you are planning a surgery, such as a knee replacement, you might find that staying in a health care community immediately following your hospital stay will help you gain the strength and confidence to return home safely. If you are planning on staying short-term, such as after a knee replacement or another procedure, ensure the community you are looking at will have that availability.
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What type of therapy services are provided onsite?
Health care communities often feature physical, occupational, and speech therapy services right onsite. This means adults staying there do not need to travel to outpatient therapy in order to recover and rehabilitate. Instead, they are able to receive inpatient therapy services multiple times throughout the day in order to meet their goals. Be sure you choose a health care community that has therapy services, and a therapy gym, onsite.
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Do you accept my method of payment?
Many adults who go to a health care community short-term to recover and rehabilitate pay with Medicare. After a three-day qualifying stay in a hospital, Medicare will pay for health care services at 100% for 20 days and then at 80% on days 21-100, as long as the person is making movement toward their goals.
However, you or your loved one might be paying with supplemental insurance, long-term care insurance, Medicaid or other payments. Be sure the health care community you choose accepts your preferred form of payment.
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Is your community the same as a nursing home?
The term ‘nursing home’ is no longer used to describe health care communities. Instead, health care communities are sometimes called skilled nursing facilities, or SNFs, due to the complex nursing care they offer.
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What are your visiting hours?
Health care communities typically welcome family members and other guests during very liberal visiting hours. Be sure you inquire about any specifics and ensure the hours match your preferences.
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Do you serve residents with cognitive decline?
If you are searching for a health care community for your loved one who is living with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, you want to be sure the health care community has the capability to offer a secure, safe and comfortable environment. In many cases, choosing a specialized memory care community is the best choice for those living with cognitive decline. However, some health care communities offer dementia care services as well. Just be sure you ask.
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May I see your event calendar and menu?
Like other retirement living options, health care communities offer amenities like a life enrichment program, housekeeping services and transportation. Meals are also served in a dining room setting among neighbors. You can get a glimpse into life at the community by checking out what type of programs and activities happen daily there as well as what foods are served in the dining room.
Choosing a health care community is an important decision. Before you make yours, we would love to invite you to learn more about Village Health Care at The Glen. Contact us to schedule a tour or learn more about services.