Nursing Homes

While many Phoenix seniors and their families believe that assisted living facilities offer more dignified standards of living than nursing homes, the reality is that often these facilities are unable to provide the required level of care to maintain a senior’s health; but they admit the senior and continue to take the family’s money.

How Assisted Living Facilities Can Fail Seniors:

• Assessments of a senior’s physical and cognitive health are rarely considered when admitting seniors to assisted living. New residents are only required to submit a report from their family physician, who may not be qualified to comment on specific elements of senior health. As a result, families expectations cannot be set, and the appropriate care decisions may not be made.

• Assisted living may charge extra for services like bathing or dressing, which are basic needs of a senior for day-to-day living. However, based on the family’s information, many of these facilities understood when admitting the senior, through doctor’s reports, that these are areas assistance is required.

• Doctors who see seniors in assisted living facilities are contracted by Medicare, and may not have the senior’s best interests in mind, especially when seeing multiple residents at one time.

• Prescriptions may be dispensed that are not the best option for the senior’s health condition. Families should oversee any medication records for the best alternatives available.

• Assisted Living facilities are designed to make the lives of Phoenix seniors easier, but are not designed to provide health services that improve health or even extend the life of a senior.

Sources:
1. New York Times

Greater Phoenix Assisted Living Alternative & Central Phoenix Assisted Living Alternative helps elders and seniors in Phoenix remain at home safely and independently. Call us today at 623-583-5868, 602.265.8228 or 480-991-3959.