 |
 |
|
|
This section contains useful facts on Admission Information, Medicare and Alzheimer's Disease, please click on the topic title to get more information on each subject
Admission Information • Medicare • Alzheimer's Disease
The state and local governments maintain requirements for admission which include the following:
- A physical examination is required within 48 hours after admission. This information will establish baseline data on the physical status of the patient. Thereafter, a physician's visit is required every 30 days for the first 90 days and every 60 days thereafter. You may use your own physician or we can recommend a staff physician. The chosen physician must have a license to practice medicine in the state of Maryland.
- An X-ray or P.P.D. taken within the last six months, which indicates a negative reading for communicable disease, is also necessary. If you have been in the hospital during that time, you can obtain your information from the medical record department of the hospital.
- It is unlawful to bring medications from your home to the nursing home. We maintain an agreement with a pharmacy, which meets all the requirements for providing medications to nursing home residents. We consider over-the-counter drugs to be a medication. Residents cannot keep them without approval of their physician, which must be noted on the resident's chart.
You may also find the following information helpful:
- A minimum or short-term stay is defined as 30 days. This enables us to complete various required information and originate a "chart" on your health status.
- There are telephones available on both levels of the nursing home where you may receive telephone calls. You can make outgoing calls from the upper level nursing station or from a pay phone located off the hallway across from the elevator. If you prefer a private phone in your room, arrangements can be made by requesting service from the local phone company.
- If we provide your laundry service, which is included in the basic rate, it will be necessary to put your name on each garment either by sewing or ironing on nametags, or writing the name with an indelible pen.
- The nursing home furnishes each room with certain furniture. However, residents often like to bring in special items to make their room more personal. Everything in the room can be substituted except for the bed, which has capabilities not available on a home bed.
- There is a television in both the living room and the day room. Each resident room has an outlet for the master antenna, and most residents do have their own televisions.
- At the time of admission, it is the policy to pay 30 days in advance. Thereafter, the monthly payment is due within 10 days after the first of the month. We bill additional charges (for things such as incontinence, toilet articles, beauty shop, etc.) to the statement after the month of the charge.
- Services provided by the laboratory are directly billed to the resident or third party carrier; X-ray, physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy are also billed by the provider directly to the resident or third party carrier.
Admission Information • Medicare • Alzheimer's Disease
Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people age 65 or older, and for disabled persons under certain conditions. The Health Care Finance Administration (HCFA), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, administers the program. The local Social Security Administration offices take applications for Medicare. After applying and receiving approval, a Health Insurance Card is given to each resident.
Medicare has two parts: hospital insurance (Part A) and medical insurance (Part B). Part A covers hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health care, and hospice care. Part B pays for physician services, outpatient hospital care, physical therapy, speech therapy, home health care, and medical supplies. Private insurance companies under contract with the HCFA handle Medicare claims.
A nursing home must meet the following criteria to be Medicare certified:
- Provide 24-hour licensed nursing care
- Provide physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy
- Provide laboratory and x-ray services
- Have a hospital transfer agreement
Eligibility for skilled nursing facility benefits depends on four criteria:
1. Verification of Medicare Part A
2. Prior hospitalization of at least three days with 30 days of being transferred to a nursing facility
3. Not more than 100 days of skilled nursing care is allowable per illness
4. There must be a need for a service requiring the skills of a professional (such as a physician, nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech therapist) on a daily basis at least five times per week.
Benefits include the first 20 days of skilled care at no cost. The following 80 days requires a co-payment of approximately $84.00 per day on the part of the resident. (The exact amount changes every year.) After 100 days, Medicare does not provide for any coverage.
Benefits are terminated as follows:
- Services are no longer needed on a daily basis
- The condition has stabilized
- The physician discontinues treatment or therapy
- The prior level of functioning is met
Admission Information • Medicare • Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive disorder that causes severe loss of cognitive and motor functions. It is the fourth leading cause of death for people over the age of 65.
The cause of the disease is unknown. The only definitive diagnostic indicator is by autopsy of the brain. Physicians who review a person's history and symptoms and eliminate other possible causes, such as depression, adverse drug reactions, poor nutrition, or metabolic problems, make diagnosis.
Early symptoms of the disease include gradual memory loss and confusion. Difficulty in expressing oneself, finishing thoughts, and following directions are common problem areas. As the disease progresses, there is increasing forgetfulness and disorientation and the person may become agitated and irritable. Eventually, the person may lose control of bodily functions.
People can survive with Alzheimer's Disease for as long as 20 years, though the average varies from six to eight years.
Presently, there is no cure for Alzheimer's Disease. However, there are advances about how to care for people with Alzheimer's Disease. The use of medications, or their elimination, can help by lessening agitation or depression. However, there must be careful administration of these drugs.
The Althea Woodland provides a multifaceted program to help with caring for the individual with Alzheimer's Disease. We consider the patient's social, emotional, recreational, and physical needs.
Initial counseling services are provided without charge by a licensed clinical social worker. The Althea Woodland may assist with your situation by providing residential care, family counseling, and follow-up support group meetings as indicated.
The residential program provides for nursing home care and includes: 24-hour supervision, a daily group program designed for the Alzheimer resident, medications given as prescribed, meals and nourishments provided, and all of the services outlined in the general information presented on this site.
|
|
|
|
