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Show ifesttyle homes value in for around Shop nursing 31jt Salt falif Srilntnr Section A Saturday, January 7, 1911 1 Page 8 S Also, the American Association of Retired Persons has a booklet. Select tug a Surging Howe Call or write either organization in Salt Lake City for more informa- By Dawn Tracy Tribune Lifestyle Writer Squeamish about placing a loved one in a nursing home or winding up in one yourself? If homework is done before the need arises, the prospect doesn't have to be bleak. While only about five percent ot Americans 65 years or older live in nursing homes, an estimated 75 percent of older Americans will at Some time need nursing home care, according to the National Retired Teachers Association. To get the best nursing home care, find out what the market offers, compare prices and facilities and decide which nursing home will suit individual needs. Licensed by State tion Complaints involving nursing home care often center around food, loss of clothing and lack of activity, said Wayne Martinson, long-tercare ombudsman for the state's Aging and Adult Services. These common complaints, however, are usually resolved within the institutions. Got a Complaint? Mr. Martinson said complaints should first be handled with nursing staff at the institution itself and then by calling state or local officials. The Utah Department of Social Services has addresses and phone numbers for state districts that can help with complaints. Last year, the state's Ombudsman Program received 141 complaints care facilities. involving long-ter- First and foremost, according to the association, make sure the facility is licensed by the state. To save money, children are placing aged parents in unlicensed centers that don't provide proper medi- - PACKET WATCH r cal care and which often cannot meet minimum fire safety standards. said Bill Terburg, acting manager of Standards and Licensure for the state's health facilities at the Department of Health. "If a parent has less than $1,500 in liquid assets, he or she may qualify for Medicaid," he said. "But children are placing their parents in unlisomecensed facilities anyway times to preserve what they consider to be their inheritance." Medicaid is a public assistance program financed by the state and federal governments for persons with limited income. To qualify, financial and medical need must be established. Owming a house and car or having some income may not disqualify an individual. if a spouse is living and indepen- I. U dent. Dont Have to Pay Under current law, children aren't legally responsible for their ' parents' nursing home bills. Medicaid pays for nursing care in licensed skilled and intermediate care facilities, covering costs varying from $20 to $60 a day, depending on the level of care needed. To help find the right facility, the Utah Health Care Association offers a free brochure. Thinking About a Xursing Home. Complaints most often reported were for facility structural problems: generalized poor nursing care; the family not being notified of transfers or change in patient condition: facility services being denied to residents and discriminatory acts. "Complaints we received represent only a fraction of the concerns care fapeople have with long-tercilities, said Mr. Martinson. "Many complaints are solved within the institution and others are simply tolerated. 90 Percent Pilled There are 94 licensed nursing homes in Utah, with 6,886 beds. In August of 1983, about 90 percent of those beds were filled. The number of unlicensed facilities is anyone's guess: state officials estimate there are 150 to 200 unlicensed and illegal facilities housing two to five residents each. "Many of the residential care and residential care complaints have been verified. said Mr. Martinscn. It shows there is a continual need to monitor these facilities. Long-tercare facilities can be either skilled, intermediate or residential. k Skilled facilities offer nursing care for individuals round-the-cloc- recovering from broken bones or serious surgical procedures. Intermediate care is geared for individuals who need help in walking, getting in and out of bed. bathing, dressing and eating Residential care facilities provide sheltered living for residents who' are capable of functioning on their own. Shop Around If you were looking for a new home or apartment, you wouldnt select one from the telephone book or want ads, said Dennis N. McFall, president of the Utah Health Care Association, representing the states long-terfacilities. Youd look at several new homes, consider the location and select the home that best suits your personality and physical and emotional needs." He added that consumers should follow the same guidelines when looking for a nursing home. But in the latter case, the decision should be made with the patient, doctor, family members and social worker or hospital discharge planner "Utah nursing homes offer a variety of types of care, services and said Mr. McFall. environments, You should select the nursing home that best suits the patient, rather than trying to change the patient to fit the nursing home. After deciding which type of facil-il- y is best, visit two or three to see which one meets your needs, said Mr. McFall. Then ask plenty of questions. Use Your Nose Consider the atmosphere, type of social activities, personal attention given to residents, the smell and the cleanliness of the facility. Also, consider location and ease for family and friends to make frequent visits. And be sure that the nursing home administrator can answer questions about specific services provided by the facility and methods of financing for long-tercare. This can include Medicare or Medicaid, Social Security payments, one's own funds, veteran's benefits and insurance coverage. All financial agreements should be made in writing. But dont stop there. Remember that patients need help in making a transition to nursing home life and in living there for years afterwards. "Help the patient gather favorite belongings to take to the nursing home." said Mr. McFall. "Plan to stay with the patient for the first few hours to help him or her get settled in, and most importantly, visit frequently, and encourage other friends and family membe.s to do the same." m Tribune Staff Photo bv Tim Kelly important concern for children is care of elderly parents. Its important to do the State monitors facilities State officials have investigated incidents involving nursing home care, but an ombudsman said more problems exist that simply aren't reported. Officials verified 50 incidents, or about 35 percent of the complaints that were reported, and all except three have been resolved, according to the Long Term Care Ombudsman 1983 annual report from the Utah Department of Social Services. Wayne Martinson, the state's long-tercare ombudsman, said incidents investigated by the state don't include complaints solved within institutions or problems that are simply tolerated. Of the complaints reported. 94 percent have been resolved, two are pending licensure and one is pending a court hearing. Service for Residents The Ombudsman Program services persons 60 and older who are residents of long-tercare facili141 ties. Complaints of the state's longterm care facilities involved facility structures such as inadequate air conditioning and lack of hot water, general nursing care and patient treatment State officials received 18 verified complaints involving conditions that pose health and safety hazards, according to the report. Most of the problems involved facility structural problems such as inadequate air conditioning during hot summer months and lack of hot water. Two verified complaints involved physical and mental abuse and two involved outbreaks of communicable diseases. Reported and Verified Nursing homes received 47 percent of the complaints, with 33 percent of the reported problems verified. "Its not unusual for nursing homes to get the greatest number of complaints." said Mr. Martinson. "That's where the majority of longterm residents are housed. At skilled nursing facilities. 45 complaints were verified; intermediate care facilities had 16 problems care facilities. verified; 10: facilities for the mentally eight: residential care facilities. four, adult foster care, two; and three within families. tion. Five involved residents being denied facility services. Many residents in nursing homes have more need for assistance than was true in the past, said Mr. Martinson. Yet the number of hours required for patient care has not increased in the nursing homes. 94 Licensed There are 94 licensed nursing homes in Utah with a total of 6.886 beds that are 90 percent filled, said the report. This includes 2.868 skilled nursing beds, providing round-th- e clock care: 2,783 intermediate nursing beds and 1.235 intermediate care beds for tha mentairv retarded. Utah also had 662 beds m 17 licensed residential care facilities that provide sheltered living for individuals capable of functioning on their own. Mr. Martinson said the single most important issue for individuals care is to ensure needing long-terthat services continue in the least restrictive setting. Bog & TsoM JANUARY CLEARANCE SALE SLEEPWEAR SAVINGS UP TO - 33 OFF PRICED TO CLEAR SWEATERS CLOSEOUT OFF ENTIRE IN STORE STOCK 25 Special Purchase bHV' Ljudi ys to tv I QUEEN & TALL BLOUSES $9.99 and UP Jiuub O' J LDlyt'SlHr ll 0 PO VHb!el Mtt tonq ciii'l slu' slwvt-- s LuniteJ to iH sves tt to Uu?tn Wts Jd c 4 I SOLD AN OLD TRICYCLE AND GOT WHAT ASKED property and privacy of residents totaled 28 verified incidents. 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