Board Care
Almost As Good As Living At Home With Full Time Medical Care
 Many seniors have a negative view of
nursing homes yet they are unable to live alone and face the possibility of having to move into a nursing
facility.
Residential boarding and care homes may be the perfect
solution. If you want to avoid moving into a nursing home for as long as possible, then board care can act as a
bridge between your current independent living to the eventual need for full time intensive nursing
care.
If you find a boarding home able to handle your medical
conditions, you may be able to avoid nursing home placement altogether.
Why would you prefer board care over nursing home
living? Nursing homes are wonderful places if you need them, and they have evolved into care facilities that
are no longer deserving of the bad reputation they seem to have.
However, the appeal with board care is that it is very
similar to living at home. In fact, you do live in a residential setting much like you would at any other
boarding house. You'll have your own room and a common living and dining area. The difference is there is also
a live-in staff to help you with activities of daily living. In addition they will prepare your meals and
oversee your medications.
Board care homes are usually fairly small with around four to six residents at
any one time. This ensures you will get plenty of individual care. The staff also lives in the home so your
caregivers remain constant. This provides continuity of care and also allows for bonding so it seems like you
are being cared for by family. A residential boarding and care home is able to care for different levels of
needs. You may only need company and supervision, or you might be unable to walk and care for
yourself.
Board care may take place in a residential home, but it should also be well
equipped to cater to all kinds of medical needs. It must be handicap accessible with ramps and transfer
equipment for bathing and toilet use. The home should also be able to accommodate special diets such as those
for diabetics or gluten insensitive residents. Since most of the residents are aging and experience problems
with vision, hearing, and balance, the home must be outfitted with the proper safety equipment such as proper
lighting and handrails.
To make sure the board care home you are considering meets quality of care and
safety guidelines, be sure to choose one that is licensed by your state. A boarding home that is not licensed
may not be able to properly care for aging or medically compromised renters. In addition to the facility being
licensed, you'll also want to check on the staff. Bringing in agency workers is bound to happen occasionally in
a facility that provides around the clock care, but a residential home that has low staff turnover is able to
provide more consistent and personalized care.
Paying for board care is similar to paying rent. Your rent should include meals
and all the medical care you need. You may want to find a home that charges less if you are still independent
and don't need help with daily living.
Be sure you understand how the cost will change if your
condition changes so you can be prepared to handle the increased expense.
If your condition declines to the point where you need
special equipment and intensive medical care, you might no longer be suitable for board care but may have to
consider other placement at that point.
Choosing a home for board care is a lot like looking for a new apartment if you
are still able to get out on your own. You may want one that is close to shopping, movie theaters, or your
church so you can come and go with ease. You'll also want a home that feels right because it has a friendly and
homey décor. Most importantly, getting along well with the live-in staff and other residents can mean the
difference between being happy and being miserable.
While the state mandates specific criteria that all board homes must meet, each
one is different because the style of each house is unique and the people that live in each home come from
different backgrounds and have different needs. Just like rent on properties in various parts of the city, rent
at a board care home varies according to different variables too. In order to find the best match, you may need
to look around quite a bit. Visit the homes in person, meet the staff, and look at their state records and
inspection reports so you can make an informed decision.
Return From
Board Care To Senior Living
| 
