# Nursing homes - good or bad



## cremeegg (24 Jan 2021)

whattodonext said:


> Nursing home really would be a last resort.



If you need nursing home care, then its not so much a last resort as a wonderful facility.

You should plan on the basis that you will be going into a nursing home at some future point. The only other possibility is that you will die before you need nursing home care.

How will this be funded. If you hold assets other than your home you will have to pay for it yourself, if you don't the state will pay for it.

Your question as to how what assets you should hold onto basically comes down to, do we keep enough to fund nursing home care ourselves or not.


----------



## Saavy99 (24 Jan 2021)

cremeegg said:


> If you need nursing home care, then its not so much a last resort as a wonderful facility.



Nursing homes are truely awful places to park the elderly in my opinion. We just have to watch what has been going on in those places this past year or even look further back.


----------



## Allpartied (25 Jan 2021)

Saavy99 said:


> Nursing homes are truely awful places to park the elderly in my opinion. We just have to watch what has been going on in those places this past year or even look further back.



I don't think that is fair. 
Of course, if someone is independent and has good social/family support, staying in their own home is preferable. 
But there are lots of older people living alone, unsupported,  in their own homes, who would benefit from the choice of nursing home living. 

In a well run, well resourced nursing home there is company, routine, safety, healthcare, social care, clothes are washed, beds are made, bedding is changed. The staff are trained to help with the difficulties of old age, to recognise the requirements of each person. 
Things could always be better and that is a political choice as to whether we, as a society, are willing to resource social services so that they can meet even higher standards.


----------



## Saavy99 (25 Jan 2021)

[t





Allpartied said:


> Things could always be better and that is a political choice as to whether we, as a society, are willing to resource social services so that they can meet even higher standards.











						Nursing homes must be made a thing of the past
					

Older people have moral right to live in the community and be free of institutions




					www.google.com


----------



## Ryan (14 Feb 2021)

Saavy99 said:


> Nursing homes are truely awful places to park the elderly in my opinion. We just have to watch what has been going on in those places this past year or even look further back.


When someone needs a level of care that cannot be provided using nine support systems there is no alternative.


----------



## PMU (14 Feb 2021)

Saavy99 said:


> Nursing homes are truely awful places to park the elderly in my opinion.


We should not forget that it's not only the elderly that end up in nursing homes.  But before you commit a loved one to a nursing home it would be good practice to read the HIQA  inspection report on the home. https://www.hiqa.ie/reports-and-publications/inspection-reports


----------



## twofor1 (14 Feb 2021)

Saavy99 said:


> Nursing homes are truely awful places to park the elderly in my opinion.


It is definitely not the preferred option but in many cases it is the best option.

My parents had a pact, no matter what happened neither would put the other in a nursing home. We were all aware of this arrangement.

Alzheimers then struck my dad, after many issues of wandering out at night  getting lost, and many of the other consequences of this horrible illness, my  80+ year old mam could no longer cope. The HSE did provide home help, the max available was 21 hours a week, but there are 168 hours in a week and my dad needed care 24/7. Despite the pact, the only option was a nursing home.

My dad passed away peacefully after 6 years of exceptional care by a devoted team of professionals who were far better able meet his needs than anyone could have done at home.

Soon after, my mam then in her 90’s needed nursing home care and after a few years of exceptional care that she again could not have got at home, passed away peacefully having been looked after by an exceptional team of caring professionals.

None of us had any regrets about breaking the pact, and have no doubt that our parents will understand that we did what we had to do for all the right reasons.

Nursing homes are not always awful, they are very necessary and caring places for many.


----------



## Gordon Gekko (14 Feb 2021)

A salient reminder that, although this site is called Askaboutmoney, it is very much ‘Askaboutlife’.


----------



## Ravima (16 Feb 2021)

I am involved with a NH. it is a not for profit one. We have had NO Covid incident amongst residents or staff. This is testament to the hardworking staff who really care for the residents. Residents and relatives are always positive when asked about the facility and HIQA have never recorded any serious issues. 

We have a waiting list from people seeking admission as residents and a large list from people seeking jobs as care assistants. Whilst I hope to live my days in my own home, if I felt that I was not capable of this, I would be moving into a home where I would be cared for and have company.


----------



## garbanzo (16 Feb 2021)

Both my elderly parents ended their days in Nursing Homes. Our family’s experience of each setting was wholly positive and as per twofor1’s experience. It was the right thing to do.

Every decision we took was medically led. Simple as. No shame in it. No regrets. Whatsoever....


----------



## becky (16 Feb 2021)

Ravima said:


> I am involved with a NH. it is a not for profit one. We have had NO Covid incident amongst residents or staff. This is testament to the hardworking staff who really care for the residents. Residents and relatives are always positive when asked about the facility and HIQA have never recorded any serious issues.
> 
> We have a waiting list from people seeking admission as residents and a large list from people seeking jobs as care assistants. Whilst I hope to live my days in my own home, if I felt that I was not capable of this, I would be moving into a home where I would be cared for and have company.


Well done. NH have a bad name, I think it goes back to the work house days. I hope to see more retirement home types. As you said, it's the company. That's what is really important imo.


----------



## fidelcastro (17 Feb 2021)

Saavy99 said:


> Nursing homes are truely awful places to park the elderly in my opinion. We just have to watch what has been going on in those places this past year or even look further back.


Its like researching your kids school options for primary & secondary. There are some ordinary ones, some excellent ones and others which are truly awful. 

When I was looking for a nursing home ( as advised by medical professionals) for my Dad, the advice was its better not to leave it too late, so as to avoid a crisis situation where you have few options.


----------



## Leper (18 Feb 2021)

Nursing Homes - Good or Bad is the title. I have no doubt there are good care facilities for the elderly and there are care facilities that are bad. If you don't believe this you've not been watching television news over the past few years.

Can anybody inform me of how much it costs a family (hard cash figure) per week, or per month, or per year to keep one elderly person as a patient in (a) Privately Run Care homes (b) Publicly run facilities? 

Please note I am interested only in the cost to the person paying the bill; not what it costs the Elderly Care Facility.

Peanuts20 answered my question after I had posted the above:- The basic average cost per patient in a public facility is €900 per week.


----------



## Peanuts20 (18 Feb 2021)

My experience of nursing homes varies. I've always found them somewhat depressing but I've also had family members in them who found it a relief as they felt safe and secure as opposed to living at home on their own. 

Problem for many families is that they have to react to an unplanned situation and that is where Fair Deal can be quite unforgiving in terms of how it treats people's assets. There is merit in having an elderly transfer ownerrship and cash/investments to family whilst alive as opposed to thinking it will be sorted when they are dead. However that can be a very tricky conversation also and comes with a risk of coercion from some family members.


----------



## Peanuts20 (18 Feb 2021)

Leper said:


> Nursing Homes - Good or Bad is the title. I have no doubt there are good care facilities for the elderly and there are care facilities that are bad. If you don't believe this you've not been watching television news over the past few years.
> 
> Can anybody inform me of how much it costs a family (hard cash figure) per week, or per month, or per year to keep one elderly person as a patient in (a) Privately Run Care homes (b) Publicly run facilities?
> 
> Please note I am interested only in the cost to the person paying the bill; not what it costs the Elderly Care Facility.



see this link


			https://www2.hse.ie/file-library/fair-deal/cost-of-voluntary-and-private-nursing-homes.pdf


----------



## twofor1 (18 Feb 2021)

It is worth noting, the rates quoted are for Fair Deal clients and do not include activities (Typically €70 pw in Dublin anyway), hairdressing, chiropody, dental, prescription charges, therapies etc.

A private client in these homes would pay more. 

Sometimes private or FD clients pay substantially more if they avail of (or have to avail of) premium packages offered by some of the private nursing homes, these might include a bigger room, better view, newspaper, hairdressing etc.


----------



## fidelcastro (21 Feb 2021)

Leper said:


> Nursing Homes - Good or Bad is the title. I have no doubt there are good care facilities for the elderly and there are care facilities that are bad. If you don't believe this you've not been watching television news over the past few years.
> 
> Can anybody inform me of how much it costs a family (hard cash figure) per week, or per month, or per year to keep one elderly person as a patient in (a) Privately Run Care homes (b) Publicly run facilities?
> 
> ...


Leper my memory of figures varies from c. 950E to C. 1450E per week, Cork City where I believe you have an affiliation to.
Private places. A spot in a Public places are like hens teeth, eg St Lukes NH in Mahon.
That said, price doesn't really matter. If the fair deal assessment figures show you can be obliged to pay, say 800E per week, then you might as well select the most expensive place going, since State will pay the deficit and your relative or yourself will most likely have best care and environment, and you still pay same

This is approach I took for my Dad. He was assessed for 944E per week for first year and he resided in Bon Secours Lee Road. A most excellent venue, recommend you go there for a walk some day for a look around. About 1450 a week, so very pricey. 

In year two the 944E would reduce as saving were eaten up and the reassessment was lowered and so on til year 3 when house asset was removed from FD assessment, so he paid less again.
Hope that helps...


----------

