Board & Care: Understanding This Type Of Eldercare

By Kristana Jenson


While there are many options out there for eldercare, not every type is what you might need or what you can afford comfortably. An assisted care living home might be too expensive and a nursing home might seem too impersonal. For an atmosphere that feels more like a comfortable and inviting home, a board and care house might be the best fit. These homes often offer plenty of amenities and a high enough level of care to suit your needs and your sensibilities.

There are several names used to identify a board and care home, such as a residential group home or residential care home or perhaps an adult family home. At any rate, these homes are usually actual private residences that can accommodate about six people at any given time. The monthly rates, which usually are lower that assisted living communities, include meal service, housekeeping, laundry and also daily assistance with grooming and dressing, as well as helping with medication management, toileting and bathing.

Board & care facilities are quite common in the United States, and there are about 52,000 of these homes in the country serving as many as 1.2 million Americans. In California, the Department of Social Services is responsible for inspecting and monitoring these homes and ensuring that there is a license in place. Keep in mind, however, that inspections are required only every five years unless there has been a previous violation. While many homes are very well managed, some are not and elder abuse can be a problem in board & care homes as well as any other eldercare facility. It is important for loved ones to look for signs of elder abuse and take quick action.

A big first step toward avoiding problems with eldercare would be to carefully inspect the potential homes. Many eldercare advocacy groups on the internet have printable checklists that you can print and bring with you. Take careful notes about all of the safety features that are in place. Talk to the residents and get a sense about how they feel about their home and watch how staff and residents interact with each other. Make note of how clean and comfortable the place appears, as well as the front and back yards.

Don't be shy about asking many questions. Ask about medication management and how health problems and emergencies are handled. Ask about the food and ask for examples of typical meals and what types of ingredients are used. Ask about activities that are planned or available and ask about how easy it will be to access your loved one, either by visiting, taking them on excursions or just calling them up on the phone.

The search for a good facility can be difficult, so it is wise to find a special service that is devoted to matching people with an excellent eldercare option. One service, CarePlacement.com, can help you find the type of facility that will be able to accommodate your needs and still fit within your budget. They have screened and studied many different facilities and caregivers, including a variety of local board & care homes, as well as nursing homes, assisted living and even in-home professional caregivers.




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