CONTACT: Pamela D. Wilson 303-810-1816
Email: Inquiry_For_Pamela@pameladwilson.com
Golden, Colorado – October 25, 2020
The Caring Generation® Radio: Nursing Home Residents Rights
Golden CO- Caregiving expert Pamela D. Wilson hosts The Caring Generation® family talk radio program for caregivers and aging adults this coming Wednesday, October 28th, on the Bold Brave Media Network. The program airs live at 9 p.m. EST. The Caring Generation® aired initially from 2009 to 2011 on 630 KHOW-AM in Denver, Colorado.
COVID and Senior Care Communities
COVID has complicated the lives of seniors living in assisted living, memory care, and nursing home communities. Lock-downs that occur yearly from the flu have extended to include COVID. Great concern exists for the elderly living in senior care communities, many of whom have multiple chronic diseases and weak immune systems.
Lock-downs have resulted in the inability of family members—many of whom provide support with the care of the elderly—to visit and make sure that elderly parents receive the care they deserve. Healthcare workers who realize they are at higher risk of acquiring COVID are leaving positions to seek other less risky work.
Concerned families have moved elderly parents out of senior living communities into their homes. In some situations, adult children who realize elderly parents' care to be more than they can do—seek to move loved ones into care communities. Challenges with allowing outside providers—like moving companies—who may bring COVID into senior care communities remain a concern.
Hiring Outside Caregivers to Prevent Nursing Home Placement
Adult children view senior care communities as the answer for an elderly parent who needs care. Some family members don't realize that the words "assisted living" should be taken literally. Senior care communities expect older adults to manage day-to-day activities without extensive help.
Senior care communities assess costs for services by care levels or time allotments. When an elderly parent needs extensive hands-on assistance for bathing, dressing, mobility, and other services—the care level and costs may increase. While assisted living communities offer medication support reminding, they are not allowed to provide medical care. Many contract with visiting physician groups.
Eventually, families may have to increase their time helping elderly parents or hire private caregivers to supplement the care provided by senior care living community staff. Families make this choice to avoid moving an elderly parent to a nursing home.
Nursing Home Residents Rights
When an older adult goes to the hospital and is unable to return home, the next step may be a nursing home for rehabilitation services. This area of decision-making is where having a family member assisting or a professional advocate is critical.
Health insurance companies contract with nursing home chains. A nursing home that may be the first choice may not be in an elderly parent's insurance plan. Transfers to nursing homes often happen with little or no discussion of options.
Fast discharges happen because hospitals have tight timelines for discharging elderly patients and available beds at nursing homes can be limited. For many families, hospital discharges to nursing homes feel rushed and place the family into a whirlwind of activity and choice about how to care for an elderly parent who may not be able to return home. Few families are aware of nursing home resident's rights.
Caregiver Radio Show Guest Eric Carlson – Justice in Aging
Attorney, Eric Carlson, joins Pamela D Wilson to talk about nursing home resident's rights. Eric has broad experience in many forms of long-term services and supports (LTSS), including home and community-based services, nursing facility care, and assisted living facilities. He led Justice in Aging's extensive research (funded through The Commonwealth Fund) on Medicaid-funded assisted living and currently is leading a project to help consumer advocacy on Medicaid managed LTSS in Florida and New Jersey. He counsels attorneys from across the country and co-counsels litigation on consumers' behalf. Mr. Carlson serves as President of the National Assisted Living Consumer Alliance and is author of the legal treatise Long-Term Care Advocacy (Matthew Bender and Co.).
Join Pamela on The Caring Generation for conversations about aging, caregiving, and relationships. The Caring Generation® radio program airs live at 6 p.m. Pacific, 7 p.m. Mountain, 8 p.m. Central, and 9 p.m. Eastern every Wednesday night. Replays of the weekly programs are available on all major podcast sites. Wilson's website features the podcast and radio program transcripts. Information about Wilson's commitment to online caregiver education, keynotes, video conferencing, caregiver support, and creating workplaces where people matter is on her website at www.pameladwilson.com.
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Check Out Podcast Replays of The Caring Generation® Radio Program for Caregivers and Aging Adults HERE
Pamela D. Wilson, MS, BS/BA, CG, CSA is a national caregiving expert, advocate, and speaker. More than 20 years of experience as a direct service provider in the roles of a court-appointed guardian, power of attorney, and care manager led to programs supporting family caregivers and aging adults who want to be proactive about health, well-being, and caregiving. Wilson provides education and support for consumers and corporations interested in supporting employees who are working caregivers. To carry out her mission, Wilson partners with companies passionate about connecting with the caregiving marketing through digital and content marketing. Her mission to reach caregivers worldwide is accomplished through social media channels of Facebook, YouTube, Linked In, Instagram, Caregiving TV on Roku, and The Caring Generation® radio on Internet radio. She may be reached at 303-810-1816 or through her website.