It's always pleasing to highlight good news! Recently, the New Jersey legislature passed a law that will offer seniors on Medicaid more long-term care options. By 2008, senior citizens living in New Jersey will have a choice in the type of long-term care they receive through Medicaid, under a law by Governor Jon S. Corzine.
The law provides "an extraordinary change in direction and policy in a way that makes sure our seniors have a choice," said Corzine at a recent summit on long-term care.
Having choices is such an important factor to both the young and old, one of the biggest fears seniors have is that with age they lose their independace. Knowing that these people will have some choices will really make a huge difference in a massive amount of lives.
Currently, New Jersey spends $1.68 billion of its Medicaid long-term care budget on nursing home care, compared with $162 million on community-based care like assisted living facilities, home health care and adult day care. That's a whole lot of money going to skilled nursing facilities.
The law will now help bridge the gap between money going to nursing homes versus money going to people in the community.
"Rather than requiring that nursing homes be the first stop, now nursing homes will be the appropriate stop, if necessary," said Dr. Fred Jacobs, state health commissioner for New Jersey. Skilled nursing facilities are the right choice for many seniors who require this type of specialized care; however, seniors should never be placed in a nursing home simply because there are no other options. On a personal level, the law provides for appropriate changes in a person's home including the installation of bathroom handrails and other safety features.
Home health aides and respite care are now under the Medicaid umbrella of covered services. There are already so many choices to make regarding long-term care the passing of this law will enable you to make better and smarter choices that will really suit your needs.
Anyone with an elderly or sick relative will understand the huge fear they have when being told they are going into a nursing home especially when this is the only option because no other choices are available. Maybe they just need a little help and are a long way off actually needing to be enlisted full time into a care home.
Having the option to make changes in the home to acomerdate the elderly is a massive improvement and relief to those that really do not want to go into full time care.
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