Delaware Nursing Homes - Information

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"Nursing Home" can be defined as "A Facility licensed to provide skilled nursing services under the supervision of licensed nurses." These facilities usually include Rehabilitation units.

See Important Questions You Should Ask When Selecting a Nursing Home.

For a listing of Delaware Nursing Homes, Search New LifeStyles Online now.

Nursing Home - General Information on Skilled Nursing Care (from TLChoices.com)

(Commonly known as Nursing Home) - A facility that provides 24-hour skilled nursing and rehabilitative care for individuals requiring a short stay to recover from an illness or hospital stay, or for those who require long-term care, of several months or years. Medicare and Medicaid can cover costs of nursing home care provided certain requirements are met. Nursing home care averages over $4,000 per month, although it can often be higher depending on the services and care that is required.

• Medicaid eligibility: Medicaid can pay for nursing home residents, but only for those that meet low-income eligibility requirements. Eligibility requirements for Medicaid vary by state. For information related to a specific situation, please contact your state’s Medicaid Department, or contact an Elder Law Attorney by consulting the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). Generally, guidelines are as follows:
  
  1. If you are single and have combined assets and income of less than $2000, you may be eligible for Medicaid.
  
  2. For those who are married, and a spouse is applying for Medicaid, if the combined assets and income of the couple is $90,000, then the spouse may be eligible for Medicaid. The spouse not entering the nursing home is allowed to keep a car, the couple’s house, personal belongings, and prepaid funeral expenses, as well as up to roughly 90,000 in assets and $2,000 per month in income. These rules vary by state. You must consult an attorney or your state’s Medicaid office to verify the exact figures.
  
  3. If you have given away large amounts of money anytime in the 3-year period prior to filing your claim for Medicaid, the claim will be denied. The program is designed to discourage individuals from transferring assets in an attempt to spend down and qualify for Medicaid. If a gift is found a penalty period will be assessed equal in length to the amount of nursing home coverage the gift would have been able to pay for.
  
  4. If any amount of money has been put into a trust in the last 5 years, this contribution will also been considered when verifying Medicaid eligibility.
  
  
• Medicare coverage for rehabilitation: If one is admitted to a nursing home for a short period of rehabilitation, the stay may be covered through Medicare provided that one meets eligibility criteria (see section on Medicare.) If a nursing home stay is eligible for Medicare reimbursement, Medicare will cover 100% of the cost of care for stays up to 20 days, and a portion of days 21 -100. After the 100th day, one has to pay privately unless insurance, such as a Medigap policy, exists.
• Cost Overview: The average cost of nursing home care is $50,000 a year or over $4,000 per month or about $140 per day. Most nursing home care is paid for by Medicaid, a Federal and State funded program that pays the cost of medical and custodial care for low income seniors in nursing homes and others. Most individuals pay using private resources first until they have spent down and are eligible for Medicaid.
• Medicare coverage: Nursing home care that is Medicare eligible is covered 100% for the first 20 days of care. Individuals pay a co-pay of up to $105.00 a day for the 21st - 100th day of each Medicare eligible nursing home stay.
• Eligibility Requirements: Medicare eligibility requires that one have a qualifying hospital stay of 3 or more days and a demonstrated need for skilled nursing care (provided by an RN) such as care for a wound, administration of IV’s and feeding tubes. Medicare eligibility also requires that one's doctor has indicated that care in a skilled nursing facility or at home is required.
• If a person is homebound and unable to leave home without great effort, he/she may be eligible for Medicare too.
• A nursing home cannot turn you away, or require you to pay upfront, if they believe that you might not have the private funds to pay for care.

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Whether you are looking for an independent retirement community, assisted living, nursing home, Alzheimer's care, home or hospice care, or other senior product or service, we can help you find what's right for you!

New LifeStyles is the nation’s leading guide to senior housing and care options. We provide basic information on state licensed senior housing communities and care agencies. We also provide more detailed information on selected nursing homes, Alzheimer’s centers, retirement communities, assisted living facilities, residential care homes, home health and hospice companies, and other senior care options & services.

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