When one's loved one has a catastrophic medical event and is admitted to the hospital, often hospital social workers will recommend a skilled care (rehab) facility. This may be a great short term alternative to returning home, but what happens when rehab is over? A Medicare recipient is allowed 100 days per spell of illness. However, once one has gotten back to "baseline", Medicare will no longer cover the care in a rehab center.
Now, what do you do? Your loved one can't return home safely, without round the clock care, a Medicare licensed agency will only provide a very limited time to come and provide care and on a very limited time period per day. What do you do?
Consider Assisted Living as an alternative. Think out of the box, even though it's private pay. Your loved one can receive physical, occupational and speech therapies billed under their Part B Medicare Benefit and will reside in their own apartment, not a shared room. They will have 3 delicious meals per day and have quality activities to participate in. Talk about engaging lifestyle?
I have worked in long term care for over two decades and I highly recommend the assisted living alternative to nursing home living, if one can afford it.
Now, let's talk about affordability. Does your loved one have a whole life insurance policy? Are they or their spouse a veteran? Do they have long term care insurance? Many ways to think of abilities to afford this type of care.