Skilled care or assisted living? What to know about choosing a metro-east facility
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- The Belleville area offers skilled nursing, memory care and assisted living options.
- Consider long-term residential care when needs exceed family or friend support.
- Facility choice should weigh medical care, daily support, cleanliness and culture.
If you have aging parents or other loved ones who may need care at a long-term residential facility in the Belleville area soon, you may be wondering what factors to consider when choosing the right place.
The U.S. National Institute on Aging reports it may be time to consider long-term residential care if someone needs more help than family or friends can provide. Home healthcare or home health aide services may be an option for some.
The metro-east is home to several types of long-term care facilities, including skilled nursing, memory care and assisted living.
Kenya O’Neal, a licensed nursing home administrator in Belleville, recommends people consider several factors when deciding on a care facility for their loved one.
“Choosing the right care facility for a loved one is highly personal. One would look at medical care, daily support, cleanliness, community culture. The culture of the facility matters,” O’Neal wrote in a recent email to the News-Democrat.
In addition to finding a quality facility, there’s also the question of what type of care is most appropriate. For people with complex medical needs or chronic conditions, a skilled care facility might be a better fit than assisted living.
“Assisted living doesn’t provide care for complex health needs,” O’Neal said.
Four types of long-term care
Here’s a brief overview of four types of long-term care, according to the NIA:
- Board and care homes are also referred to as residential care facilities or group homes, and typically have 20 or fewer residents. While residents receive meals and personal care, nursing and medical care is generally not provided at the home.
- Nursing homes are also called skilled nursing facilities and provide a wide range of medical care services, along with personal care. Rehabilitation services such as physical therapy are available, and 24-hour supervision is typically included.
- Assisted living facilities can be helpful for people who need help with daily care but don’t need nursing home services. Multiple levels of care are usually available, depending on residents’ needs.
- Continuing care retirement communities are also called life care communities, and offer different types of care at the same location, such as skilled nursing, assisted living and independent housing.
How to choose the right facility
The Illinois Department of Public Health recommends those evaluating long-term care options to determine what type of care is needed, consider the preferences of the person who needs care and make a list of local facilities offering care that seems to fit their needs. The state health department recommends calling ahead to learn more about facilities and making multiple visits to a facility before making your decision.
“Following a guided tour, it is wise to talk to residents and observe conditions by yourself without facility staff being present,” IDPH’s website says. “If the administrator refuses to do this, you can assume he or she has something to hide.”
Other important considerations include the facility’s location and proximity to hospitals, accident prevention measures, cleanliness and fire safety, according to IDPH.
More tips to evaluate a metro-east care facility
IDPH (dph.illinois.gov) and the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (cms.gov) inspect nursing homes and determine penalties for violations. IDPH has online reports available of facilities it has determined to be in violation of the Nursing Home Care Act.
The CMS administers a Five-Star Quality Rating System to help clients, their families and caregivers compare nursing homes. The federal agency cautions that no rating system can fully address all potential considerations when choosing a facility, such as the availability of specialty care.
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