When your loved one will be spending time in assisted living, she may need to be cared for by a skilled nurse. You'll need someone who can administer medication and supervise your loved one while she takes her medication. However, the role of a nurse can move well beyond that. 

Speaking with the Assisted Living Facility About Their Nursing Services

Generally, an assisted living nurse will assess the needs of the patient and will continue to assess the patient's needs on an ongoing basis. The nurse will discuss with you the treatment plan that your loved one needs and will evaluate in the future whether the treatment plan is still appropriate. The type of services that the staff will be able to deliver is based in part on state laws. 

However, assisted living facilities have a wide variety of staffing philosophies and you will want to consult with them about the specifics of how your family member will be cared for. You'll need to make sure that the staffing philosophy of the assisted living facility will meet your needs. For example, if your loved one is suffering from dementia, you will want a skilled nursing team that will help reduce the disruptions to your loved one's life. 

Write down everything that is necessary and then look at the services that are offered by the assisted living facility that can meet each need. You can compare different facilities and teams to each other to find the best one for your loved one.

Inquire About the Team

Oftentimes, an assisted living facility will provide your loved one with a team that includes a nurse, social worker, and a physician under an "integrated care model." Make sure that you look at more than just the initial beauty or appearance of the assisted living facility. Also take into consideration the level of care that you'll need. Your loved one might not need acute care, but may need subacute care. There are some arrangements that are only available at certain facilities so you'll need to know the level of skilled nursing care that is available.

Fortunately, assisted living facilities usually have skilled nurses on staff. This is a topic that you will want to bring up when you are considering having your loved one move into an assisted living facility. However, if you decide that your loved one will remain at home instead, that doesn't mean that you won't need the services of a skilled nurse. 

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