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The following information can assist you in assessing what is the most appropriate setting. There is information that describes the difference in setting, the personnel employed, the types of services that may be offered and a checklist guide to use to evaluate individual long term care settings that you are considering.
Many people don’t realize that you need a doctor’s order to be accepted into a skilled care nursing facility. Once you and your personal physician have discussed the types of services you’ll need, obtain a list of nursing homes in your area. Your doctor, social worker, or case manager should be familiar with area facilities. View AHCA Member locations or you may call AHCA at 602.265.5331. Your local Area Agency on Aging also has excellent resource materials.
By telephoning each facility on your initial list, you will be able to narrow the field to two or three offering the specific services and location you desire. The best way to choose a setting is to visit several times and meet with key staff, taste the food, observe the activities, and talk with residents and their families. Ask them to share their experiences with that facility. Are they pleased or displeased?
After you have identified an appropriate facility, you may find there is no vacancy. Put your name on the waiting list. In the meantime, check alternatives such as adult day care centers, home health agencies, and other community resources that might help meet immediate needs.
The Department of Health Services inspects every skilled nursing facility annually. The survey results are available for review at the facility and you may review the report of the facility’s performance. You can also go on line by clicking on the link noted here — Medicare.gov to find out how the skilled nursing facility compares with both the state and national averages. Remember, it is also essential to visit a facility to assess whether it is an appropriate “match”.
In addition, many nursing facilities participate in voluntary quality assurance programs. One example is the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) Long Term Care Program. This accreditation program evaluates facilities’ operations based on a monitoring system to measure the facility’s performance.
The philosophy of assisted living is to provide supervision, assistance and personal care services to senior citizens and individuals with disabilities as needed. The goal is to maintain maximum independence in a home-like setting, while providing individualized care and assistance. Assisted living offers a unique mix of security and independence, privacy and companionship, and physical and social well being. Assisted living is part of a continuum of long term care services that provides a combination of housing, personal care services, and health care designed to respond to individuals who need assistance with normal daily activities in a way that promotes maximum independence. Assisted living is licensed by the Department of Health Services in three levels: supervisory, personal care, and directed care. The directed care level was designed to serve those who cannot “self direct” their own care. Assisted Living Facilities are also inspected annually by DHS.
When looking for an assisted living center, follow the same steps as for a skilled nursing facility — look at several centers, call, visit several times and talk to residents and their families.
The Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) is the state’s long-term care program administered by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), the Medicaid system in Arizona. It is available for people who could not otherwise afford long-term care services. Call 602.417.4000 to see if you or your loved one is eligible.
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