MANAGING CARE( continued)
Skilled nursing facilities are composed of various types of care:
• Custodial or Basic Care: Assistance with personal care( activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, or toileting), ambulation, safety, supervision, and medication dispensing
• Skilled Care: Treatments or procedures, such as wound care; intravenous medications or feedings; or managing of machinery, such as respirator or ventilator
• Sub-Acute Care: Short-term rehabilitation stay( discussed above) to provide rehabilitation from an acute illness, injury, or exacerbation of a disease process
• Respite Care: Short-term or trial stays in the facility; or“ vacation stays” while the family caregiver takes a break. Respite is a private-pay service. Additionally, some states and private or nonprofit foundations may offer respite funds.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities( CCRCs)
Continuing care retirement communities( CCRCs) are residential campuses comprised of a number of buildings, offering a range of care options, all on the same grounds. Within such a community there might be independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing. However, not all CCRCs provide all levels of care. Most CCRCs require an upfront investment of some amount as well as monthly payments. Specifics differ from community to community, so it is important to ask questions and do comparison shopping.
Special Care Units( SCUs) and Memory Care Units( MCUs)
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Some states license, and thereby recognize the designation of, special units that exist within facilities that are already licensed to give care. Examples of specialty licenses are memory care assisted living and memory care skilled nursing. If facilities advertise as memory care and are located in states that assign such licenses, then the facility must have that license.
Patient Medical Information
No matter where your loved ones live or attend programs such as those described here, they should always keep with them, and in a specified location in their living space, written medical information in the event of an emergency. This document is often referred to as a“ vial of life.” It should contain the following information:
• Date updated
• Name, address, phone number
• Medications, dosages, frequency or times
• Drug allergies
• Medical conditions
• Surgeries( including year)
• Blood type
• Allergies
• Inoculations
• Physicians( primary care, movement disorders neurologist, and any other key doctors) and their phone numbers
• Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
• Emergency contacts