Home Sweet Nursing Facility

Removing your loved one from the familiar environs of home and
moving them into a nursing 'home' or facility can be a gut-wrenching
experience. It doesn't have to be.

When you or a loved one are forced by age or circumstance to move
from "sweet home" into "sweet nursing facility, " it can be a most
agonizing decision. But there may be ways to make those decisions seem
less daunting.

It is understandable for a family to experience a degree of
apprehension when the comforts and familiar nuances of home are
exchanged for the unknown, where your loved one is suddenly dependent
upon others for their daily needs after a lifetime of relative
independence. The most well-meaning nursing home staff is, when you get
right down to it, comprised of strangers. Imagine how you would feel
suddenly placed in a nursing home full of strangers especially if your
next generation of friends and family are living too far away to easily
visit. This predicament is a reality faced by many elders.

To ease the transition, and to monitor an elder's care as they're
placed in a nursing facility, an attractive option for many families is
hiring a Geriatric Care Manager. So-called GCMs can be a valued
resource for elders and their families – an insider who knows the ins
and outs of the system and can navigate effectively, matching the best
care and services to each individual's situation. But some families are
asking their GCMs to stay in the picture even after gramp-pa is settled
and acclimated to the nursing home, so that he continues to receive the
best possible care. GCMs sometimes recommend the hiring of professional
caregivers to check in with your loved one periodically, perhaps weekly
or even daily, as required.

An excellent resource for finding a Geriatric Care Manager in your
area is the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care
Managers, which can be Googled. If the time is fast approaching but
it's not here yet, a call to your resourceful Elder Law attorney might
be in order. Ask him to include a mention of the GCM preference in your
estate planning documents or other relevant instructions.

Gene Osofsky is an East Bay elder law attorney in California. Gene
Osofsky specializes in Medi-Cal planning, wills, probate, trusts,
nursing home issues, special needs planning, and disability planning.
To learn more about East Bay elder law lawyers, East Bay elder law attorney, Medi-Cal planning, Medi-Cal planning lawyers and The Law Offices of Osofsky & Osofsky, visit Lawyerforseniors.com.