You might need assistance knowing where to begin if your loved one needs specialized nursing care. A nursing home or community offers many options, such as short-term rehabilitation center care and long-term care for seniors requiring routine assistance.
Individuals who need nursing facility-level care may be able to receive services through the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver programs.
Residential Care
Skilled Nursing (SNF or Nursing Home) is a high level of care that includes 24-hour medical services administered by licensed nurses and support professionals. It is the highest level of care that is not hospital-based.
Residents may need short-term rehabilitation following surgery, illness, injury, or long-term care due to chronic disease or disability. It can include therapies such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Residents can also receive medication management and monitoring by a qualified nurse or other health professional.
Missouri has many options to help seniors get long-term care that fits their needs. These include programs such as PACE, which allows dual-eligible people for Medicare and Medicaid by coordinating their health, social service, and housing needs into one plan and delivery system.
Intermediate Care
Skilled care nursing facility Missouri provides intermediate care and treatment services for individuals who require twenty-four (24) hours a day of residential accommodations, housing, and skilled nursing care and treatment services. It is a social model of care that provides long-term care and supports residents’ dignity, individuality, privacy, independence, and autonomy.
Unlike skilled nursing homes, intermediate care facilities do not focus on medical care and typically house people with developmental disabilities. They are smaller and often provide rehabilitative assisted living services and the ability to monitor health conditions.
Sadly, abuse and neglect do occur in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Knowing what to look out for and how to report it is essential. It is critical to your loved one’s well-being.
Rehab Care
Often, seniors need rehab care as they are discharged from the hospital or to help manage chronic health conditions. Residents receive physical therapy and other healthcare services their doctor orders during their stay.
Seniors eligible for long-term care and meeting functional and financial requirements can use Missouri’s Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) Waivers or Aged, Blind and Disabled (ABD) Medicaid to cover some or all of their long-term care costs. ABD Medicaid can also pay for room and board in a nursing home.
24-Hour care
Missouri offers around 504 nursing homes that specialize in skilled care. These facilities provide 24-hour skilled nursing services under the guidance of a physician and are Medicare and Medicaid certified to serve eligible patients.
A physician must approve all medications a skilled nursing facility gives a resident. Staff members must be trained to give medications as instructed by a physician.
If a resident’s condition warrants more than nursing care, they may qualify for home and community-based services through the state’s Medicaid waiver plan. This program provides various in-home services to help keep seniors safe and independent at home. These programs include respite care, meal delivery, and home health aide services. Also, the Aged and Disabled Waiver (ADW) program provides in-home care for eligible individuals to assist with daily living activities.
Legal Rights
Generally, Medicare- and Medicaid-eligible nursing homes, life plan Communities, and assisted living facilities must meet strict federal requirements. It includes documenting all resident care services and maintaining consistent, accurate, and detailed records.
Residents of these facilities have legal rights regarding their medical treatment, the right to choose a primary caregiver, and the right to privacy. Sadly, there is a high prevalence of cruelty and neglect towards patients in nursing homes.
In many cases, an individual who needs skilled nursing home care may qualify for Medicaid to pay for the cost if they meet the long-term Care (LTC) income and resource rules.
