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A good Alabama skilled nursing facility offers reasonable rates with skilled staff and plenty of amenities. The long-term care facilities should make each resident their utmost priority. Residents should make all choices regarding their personal health and well-being, period.
Because nursing homes provide ongoing medical care, they cost more than assisted living facilities, home health services and adult day care facilities. In Alabama, nursing homes cost an average $6,540 per month for a semi-private room and $6,911 per month for a private room. As you can see above, Nursing Home Care is often the most expensive senior care option – sometimes even 2-3 times the cost of other types of senior living.
Outings & Social Activities
Approximately 1,053,268 people are enrolled in Medicaid throughout the state, and a portion of these individuals are seniors who require nursing home care. To accommodate these older adults, 231 nursing homes with 27,397 beds provide skilled nursing care 24/7. Medicaid can cover the cost of room and board, some medical equipment, personal care such as grooming and bathing, medication management, physician visits and general nursing. It also requires nursing homes to have a plan in place to accommodate exposed or infected residents to stop the spread of the infection. Health & Safety is an important consideration for seniors with advancing medical needs.
Refer to our Health Care Facilities home page to review health care facilities deficiencies. Using our Health Care Facilities Directory, start a list of nursing homes in your area geographically located convenient to you, your family or friends. Our list will tell you whether they are Medicare or Medicare and Medicaid certified, the number of beds, and if they provide skilled nursing care. The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs is a vital resource for the state's veterans and their dependents in accessing medical care, financial benefits and social services. Due to the complexity of these programs, each county is served by a designated veterans service office that helps with claims and appeals.
Why and What of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program)
Higher levels of needing for assistance with ADL's could indicate deterioration of a resident's well-being. This metric is a measure of the percentage of long-term stay residents demonstrating depressive symptoms. Each facility must hire a pharmacist or consult with a pharmacist to ensure medications are administered safely. The pharmacist is responsible for reviewing resident drug regimens, keeping adequate pharmacy records and monitoring drug inventory. Facilities must store all medications in locked compartments, maintain records of the storage and disposal of controlled substances, destroy medications that have expired and label medications properly.
Legislation (S.1785A/A.6052) will expand the existing pandemic emergency plan to improve communication by requiring nursing homes to inform residents and their loved ones of an infection. Located at 987 Drayton St in Elba, Alabama, Elba Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is a 111 unit nursing facility. The community is in a primarily working class area, with a median family income of $32,654. Located at 1900 Olive St in Cullman, Alabama, Woodland Village Rehabilitation and Healthcare Cen is a 149 bed nursing facility.
Residents Maintain Autonomy
This information must be used to develop a comprehensive care plan that includes measurable objectives and timetables for meeting the resident's physical and mental needs. According to Genworth Financial, nursing home care in Alabama is very affordable. The $6,540 average cost is $1,216 less than the national median of $7,756, and it's competitive for the region. Residents pay $182 less than seniors in Georgia ($6,722) and just over $500 less than their peers in Mississippi ($7,057) and Tennessee ($7,072).
If a resident requires specialized rehabilitative services (e.g. occupational therapy or physical therapy), the facility must provide the services or hire an outside provider. Specialized rehabilitative services may only be provided if a physician orders them. SNFs must provide well-balanced meals that meet the specific dietary requirements of each resident. Every facility must also employ a registered dietitian in some capacity. If the SNF doesn't have a full-time dietitian, then it must have a director of food service who frequently consults with a registered dietitian. Facilities are required to complete this plan within seven days of a new resident's arrival.
Alabama residents can contact their local Social Security Administration office for help enrolling in Medicare and managing retirement or disability benefits. The SSA administers the Supplemental Security Income program for certain low-income individuals, including those who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Seniors can visit the SSA's official website to find a local office or manage their benefits online.
As a result, adult day care costs an average of $655 per month in Alabama. Seniors who remain in their homes but need help with certain tasks may hire a home health aide or homemaker service, both of which cost an average of $3,432 per month. Like nursing home care, assisted living is a residential option; however, assisted living facilities don’t provide a nursing level of care. Therefore, they are less expensive than skilled nursing facilities, averaging $3,150 per month in Alabama. Nursing homes provide 24/7 care for seniors who are unable to live on their own due to medical or cognitive issues.
Facilities must follow strict standards for storing, labeling and dispensing or destroying medications. A licensed pharmacist must maintain appropriate records and review each resident's medication regimen at least once a month. A comprehensive needs assessment must be performed to confirm that applicants require a nursing facility level of care. Located at 500 Spanish Fort Blvd in Spanish Fort, Alabama, Westminster Village is a 60 unit senior community. The community is in a primarily middle income area, with an average household income of $72,628.
You can get additional information from the Local and State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program by going to Alabama Age Line. Additionally, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services hosts a site which allows you to compare nursing homes nationally. Alabama requires certified nursing aides to complete at least 75 hours of classroom training, including 16 hours of lab and clinical work experience. They must pass a comprehensive competency evaluation before beginning work, and the state requires at least 12 hours of in-service training plus an annual performance review for aides to remain certified.
The care plan must address a resident's physical and psychosocial needs, be prepared by an interdisciplinary team of professionals and have measurable objectives. The Alabama Department of Insurance helps seniors locate the best insurance options to suit their needs. The agency has counselors who can help explain plan details and provide information on applying for Medicaid. Any calls to toll-free numbers found on SeniorGuidance.org will be answered by our partners providing senior living placement services who will try to match you with a senior living community.
Excessive reliance on these medications may suggest that a nursing home is using these drugs to subdue residents in situations where such drugs are not medically required. However, some facilities may need to rely more on these medications due to having more patients suffering from Alzheimer's or other dementias. Determine your needs — Not all nursing homes offer the same services.
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