One of the most difficult things you can hear in the hospital is that your loved one will need long term care. And they usually make the announcement hours before they release her.

What do you do?
Where can you loved one go?
How will they survive?

How will YOU survive?

It’s not just their lives that are turned completely upside down; yours too.

For many, the only thing that comes to mind is a facility. Assisted living, nursing care, it’s the only option that makes sense. Because when you’re in the throes of chaos, your mind flips to the things being talked about in the news. And both assisted living and nursing care receive a lot of press.

While both may work in some situations, let’s look at a few things you’ll have to navigate.

First is finding an open facility. It’s no secret the population is aging. Senior centers are being built as rapidly as possible. Yet when you need a facility in days or even a matter of hours, you’re left with taking what’s available. And for the most part, that means accepting whatever skill set they have on hand, whether it matches your needs or not. You don’t have time to ask questions like: [Read more…]