What Medical Treatment Can Nursing Homes Give?
Nursing homes continue to change with every passing year. Most of these changes are driven by consumer pressure and evolving government regulations. The nursing homes in existence today are high-quality, highly regulated, and sophisticated institutions.
These are facilities that exist solely for the purpose of caring for ailing older adults. Some of these adults suffer from mental disabilities and other severe physical health concerns. Read on to learn more about medical treatments offered by nursing homes.
Who Lives in a Nursing Home?
Approximately 50% of the population in today’s nursing homes comprises individuals aged 85 years and above. Relatively few of these residents are aged 65 and below. A majority are women lacking a spouse, either due to divorce, death, or those who never got married.
It’s, however, important to note that many residents continue to receive support from their support groups which comprise friends and family members.
Most Prevalent Reason for Living in a Nursing Home
Most older people choose to live in a nursing home because of a type of disability, e.g., the inability to perform activities related to their daily living. It’s not surprising to learn that nursing home residents have more disability issues than those living at home.
Many residents need help bathing and dressing. Others require support or supervision when walking. Nearly 50% suffer from incontinence, while the remainder has a problem seeing or hearing.
Mental conditions are pretty common in nursing homes, coming a close second after physical problems. In fact, dementia is one of the most common issues in these homes and affects the highest number of nursing home residents.
Problematic behaviours come in at the third position. Such behaviours manifest in the form of:
- Physical/verbal abuse
- Wandering
- Resisting necessary care
- Misbehaving when in public settings
Another set of issues known to affect these residents is communication issues. Most older adults have difficulty hearing and understanding others. Depression is another issue treated at nursing homes.
Common Reasons for Admission to a Nursing Home
The risk factors for admission to a nursing home vary significantly. However, the most common include:
- Geriatric Syndromes, e.g., dementia, frailty, pressure sores, and frequent falls
- Age: Your chances of getting admitted to a nursing facility increase as you age
- Ethnicity/Race: Caucasians have a higher chance of getting admitted to a nursing home
- Low Income
- Mental or Functional Difficulties
- Low Social Activities
- Poor Family Support, more so when one doesn’t have children or a spouse
Characteristics of a Nursing Home
Nursing homes have increasingly started offering medical services similar to those found in modern hospitals. Their services resemble those you’re likely to receive after a sudden medical problem, illness, or surgery.
Seniors need a high level of care, which is impossible in hospitals as hospital stays have become shorter than they once were. As such, the medical treatment found in a nursing home will typically include:
- Wound care
- Skilled nursing care
- Intravenous therapy and antibiotics
- Orthopaedic care
- Speech, occupation and physical therapy
- Support after surgery]
- Breathing treatments
As you can see, the medical treatments will vary and may depend on the risk factors that have led to your admission. You can learn more about nursing home costs here, including what to expect from a nursing home.
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