Gainesville Nursing Homes Information

Short-term care helps patients recuperate from the ill effects of aneurisms, falls, surgeries, strokes, heart attacks and other acute medical events. A majority of short-term visits are preceded by a hospital visit. As the second part of patients’ recovery process, short-term care uses a professionally mapped out plan to effectively and efficiently get patients back on their feet. Full recovery is not the goal of short-term care. That is left to less inclusive options. When short-term patients get to a certain level of health, they often move to assisted living or in home care options.

As the precursor to short-term care, patients should try to receive the best hospital care they can, under the circumstances. Quality hospital service can get patients on the right track during their first few days of the recovery process. In Gainesville, the best health care, based on patients’ hospital experiences, can be found at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida and North Florida Regional Medical Center.

Long-term care is for patients with moderate to severe physical and mental disabilities. Moving to long-term care is often caused by a decline in a patient’s existing condition. Through health monitoring, evaluation, observation and treatment, many long-term patients heal enough to seek less comprehensive care. Depending on the severity of their condition, patients have access to periodic to around-the-clock care. Physicians and nurses are on call to perform regular check-ups and medical procedures like wound care, colostomies, tracheostomies, medicine dosage adjustment and blood testing. Non-medical caregivers administer aid to patients who need help with activities of daily living such as eating, walking, dressing, toileting and washing. Social workers and recreational staff are present to give patients a certain level of companionship by playing games with patients, talking to them, accompanying them on short trips or just watching television together.

Gainesville’s nursing care costs sit more than $500 under the Florida state median. Semi-private and private SNF rooms have monthly costs of $5,931 and $6,235, respectively. Assisted living facility accommodations run $3,800 per month. Homemaker services, home health aide and adult day health care bear monthly costs of $3,432, $3,804 and $1,463, respectively.

The high cost of nursing care is a burden to many seniors and their families. Even those that have prepared and planned for the cost may end up needing to refinance their house, sell off assets, dip into their retirement or borrow from family and friends to cover the cost. Long-term care insurance, Medicare and Medicaid do offer some coverage. Long-term care insurance the most expensive option of the three but provides the most peace of mind. Medicare does not cover those only in need of custodial care and only covers 100 days of care in one benefit period. Medicaid is for those with lower incomes and assets, and is not accepted at all institutions, and eligibility rules vary from state to state.