Tag Archives: Texas

In Wake of National Nursing Home Week, Understanding How to Choose a Long Term Care Facility Is As Important As Ever

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In light of National Nursing Home Week, which was celebrated May 11-17 this year, it seems prudent to discuss some current issues facing nursing homes across the state of Texas. Texas has had its fair share of negative light shone on nursing homes across the state, but two violent attacks in Houston’s long-term care facilities recently brought the subject back into the spotlight again.

Do Your Research on Nursing Homes

The brutal occurrences, which left two men dead and one critically injured, bring up yet again the issues of nursing home oversight, staffing levels, and the crucial importance of researching a nursing home before enrolling as a resident. When it comes to finding a good nursing home, looks can often be deceiving. Just because a facility looks nice on the outside, or maybe even on the inside, too, doesn’t mean there aren’t problems lurking below the surface. Unfortunately, some families find this out the hard way.

No matter how much research you do, it can be difficult to detect problems in nursing homes, but there are a few things you can do to help increase the chances that the facility you choose isn’t one of the bad apples. Whether it’s a lack of staff personnel or poor administrative oversight, some nursing homes face problems that can often pass down negative consequences to residents. Before you decide on a certain facility, make sure you take the time to look into various aspects of the facility to help you better understand the staff, administration, and quality of care provided.

Problems Facing Texas

Just last year, a nationwide Nursing Home Report Card was published and Texas ranked 51st, the absolute worst ranking possible. This ranking was based on a number of different measures including facility deficiencies, staff levels, and verified ombudsmen complaints. The report card, produced by a non-profit organization in Florida, highlights the extreme problems facing nursing homes across the state of Texas. The Lone Star state received a grade of F and was the only state to receive failing grades in 6 of the 8 measures.

According to the report, just over 94% of nursing home facilities in Texas have deficiencies and a little more than 16% were cited as having severe deficiencies. Texas also had the lowest percentage of nursing homes with an above-average direct care staff rating, with just 19.68% of nursing homes qualifying under that measure. Because nursing home quality has been shown to be poor across the entire state of Texas, it is especially important for Texans to understand the best ways to research nursing homes and compare different ones to find the best available.

How to Compare Long-Term Care Facilities

One way to gain some insider knowledge about the state of different nursing homes is to speak with your local long-term care ombudsman. Ombudsmen are individuals who volunteer to help investigate complaints surrounding nursing homes and work with local organizations to help rectify the problems. They provide free services to family members and individuals interested in long-term care. You can get in touch with your local ombudsman by contacting your local Area Agency on Aging, of which there are 28 in Texas.

Another way to compare nursing homes is to utilize the Nursing Home Compare online tool provided by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. US News and Health Report also publishes an annual nursing homes ranking list compiled using data from the CMS website and other sources. You can view this year’s ranking list of nursing homes here and navigate through the ones specifically in Texas.

Besides doing research online, in-person research is another crucial tool to helping you get a better grasp of what is happening in nursing homes across Texas or in your area. If you are able, visit the nursing home yourself and walk around all the different areas of the facility. It’s best to visit nursing homes a number of times on different days. For example, you might want to make two visits during the week, one in the morning or afternoon and one at night. It is wise to do the same thing again on the weekend to get a good feel of how the facility operates and whether or not it is a good fit for what you are looking for.

When it comes to long term care, there are extremely important things at stake, including the safety, health, and wellbeing of either you or your loved one. Before committing to a specific nursing home, do your best to research, visit, and compare nursing homes so you can find the best one.

Scathing New Report Reveals Texas Nursing Homes Lack Enforcement and Oversight and Recommends Closing Austin Facility

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Texas nursing homes are not being monitored enough and facilities with violations are not being properly penalized, according to a new report released by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services.

DADS Report

The Sunset Advisory Commission released the report earlier this month detailing issues found within the 13 state supported living centers in Texas and putting forth a number of recommendations for legislators. The report followed investigative coverage conducted by KVUE that revealed a rise in the prevalence of abuse in nursing homes across the state.

The DADS report notes a number of problems within the Texas state-supported living centers and includes detailed explanations of the problems and suggestions to help fix them. One of the main problems highlighted in the report is the fact that the nursing homes that have been found to have serious violations have suffered very little, if any, consequences as a result. Not only are the centers “problematic”, but they are also “costly” to the state, according to the authorities who compiled the report, which includes state senators and representatives.

Costs to Texas Taxpayers 

To house just 3,650 people in the 13 centers involves the employment of more than 13,900 individuals and a cost of more than $661.9 million annually to the state. Texas is one of the few states that still runs a large state-supported living center system, the report notes, and the costs to taxpayers are “growing unsustainably”. One facility in particular came under fire in the report.

Despite “questionable quality of care” at the living centers, the nursing homes have remained open and serving residents, some of whom may be suffering due to the potentially lacking care quality. Because the state can no longer afford to continue supporting all 13 living centers, as concluded by the commission members, they recommended closing the Austin state supported living center by the year 2017 and several others by 2022.

Quality Care Matters

There is no way for DADS to effectively ensure adequate care is being provided at these facilities, which presents a problem for both the state and the residents. The commission report recommends higher penalties against nursing homes that commit violations in order to bolster the quality of care provided and ensure the same mistakes are not repeated intentionally due to a lack of fear of consequence.

When it comes to choosing a long term care facility, it can be difficult to know which nursing homes will provide the quality care most people are looking for, but this new report helps Texas residents be more aware of the various problems facing these state supported systems. It’s important to remember that the report just includes recommendations, not final decisions, and a review of the report is currently being processed to determine which steps, if any, to take to further rectify the problems outlined in the report.

To see the full DADS report, click here. To get a better idea of how to choose a long term care facility, read our latest article on the state of nursing homes in Texas and the different ways to compare and research long term care facilities.

Long Term Care Insurance: Mutual of Omaha

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If you’re looking for long term care insurance, Mutual of Omaha has just what you need. Many people are thinking long term and therefore want to protect themselves in the case their income is too high to qualify for Medicaid or Medicare. This prevents the need to rely on your loved ones to support you and cover all expenses as you age.

Protecting Your Assets

With long term care insurance, Mutual of Omaha offers a number of programs available to suit your needs. Whether you need life insurance or disability insurance, you will find a plan and program to suit your needs. You can qualify for home health care in addition to nursing home/assisted living care, and there are also programs that are designed to keep you at home and out of these facilities. We all enjoy being independent, and insurance can help with expenses.

Why is Coverage Needed?

Many are not aware of  the benefits of long term care insurance, and one of the main advantages is you remain independent while receiving the quality care you want and deserve. You can avoid asking family or your children to help with finances or expenses due to not having the money. If you have savings, long term care insurance can help you hang onto that money in case you plan on passing it down.

Long term care insurance Mutual of Omaha offers allows you to have the option to obtain your plan’s benefits in the form of cash or you can opt to have your policy reimbursed for any other expenses you may incur while receiving care. Many find they need some sort of help with medical care as they get older such as with simple day to day tasks.

Purchasing Long Term Care That’s Suitable for You

What you’ll find is there are a number of plans offered with Mutual of Omaha which allows you to have financial security. What is suitable for you may be different for someone else. If you need more coverage your plan will get you care you need at home. You can also customize a policy with several other options that you can purchase to make your package work even more for you.

Many people opt for a long term insurance plan to help leave something to their children. Many people work hard their entire life to build their nest egg and many want to leave something to their grandchildren or children. An insurance plan can help preserve an estate that you want to have passed down.

While this form of insurance is still new to the insurance market, there are a number of people that have seen the many benefits. Many people are taking the time to learn how this type of insurance coverage can help them plan for the future to ensure they have adequate care and can live their life to the fullest. Research is important when choosing a company, and Mutual of Omaha has dedicated centuries to offering adequate coverage even for those on a budget.

Caregivers United Event Planned for June in San Angelo


A Caregivers United event in San Angelo Texas planned for mid-June aims to help Texans better understand the issues surrounding long term care and caregivers in the industry.

Event Details

The event is being held by the Area Agency on Aging and will take place at 11:45 a.m. June 13 at the Concho Valley Council of Governments Training Center. The Training Center is located at 2801 W. Loop 306.

Event seating is limited to 40. To RSVP, call 3252235704 or visit cvcog.org/cvcog/aaa_caregivers_united_reg.php

Topics of Discussion

Brittany Schroeder, Better Living for Texans Extension assistant at Texas A&M AgriLife, will speak on “Dining at the Dollar Store.”

According to its website, “Better Living for Texans (BLT) is a statewide nutrition education program that serves 217 of the 254 counties in the state of Texas. Since 1994, BLT has served the state’s residents through teaching nutrition-related concepts focusing on comparing prices, healthy menu choices, MyPlate, preparing healthy meals, and the importance of physical fitness”.

Background

The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is one of 28 local agencies in Texas that is included in the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). The goal of the agencies is to provide seniors, specifically people ages 60 and older, and their caregivers with the information they need to find local resources and assistance.

Caregivers United is an organization created by Frank Broyles, a man who was impacted by Alzheimer’s when his wife was diagnosed with the disease. Their website states that they “are a dedicated group of caregivers who have come together to help bring support, stories, tips and more to the online community.”

The Issue of Caregiving 

80% of long term care received around the nation is unpaid care. This means that the majority of caregivers in the United States are simply family members or friends of loved ones who have come down with a debilitating condition like a stroke, Alzheimer’s, or obesity. When someone requires help with daily activities like eating, cooking, bathing, or getting around, the services provided to them are considered long term care services.

Long Term Care Insurance helps cover the costs of these long term care services, so your family is not burdened even more by the high price of long term care. Long Term Care Insurance will even cover services provided in your home, as long as the care is provided by a licensed health professional. Take the burden off of your children and invest in Long Term Care Insurance. If you have substantial assets to protect, buying a Long Term Care Insurance policy is a sensible financial move. Read more about who should buy LTCI and why.

Texans Can Benefit from Long Term Care Partnership Program

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Have you devised a plan to pay for your health care costs in retirement? If you live in Texas, did you know that just one year of nursing home care costs more than $65,000? Are you prepared to cover that kind of cost should you suddenly need care? If not, a program exists in your state to help you plan.

Help Planning for Long Term Care

The Texas Long Term Care Partnership Program helps encourage long term care planning across the state of Texas. Long term care is becoming an especially important issue in our nation as we are living longer than ever and health care is becoming more advanced every year. Couple this changes and we are faced with individuals living with disabilities and chronic diseases that would have essentially been their demise had they been seniors just a few short decades ago. Now, however, people can live longer even with chronic illness. Many times, though, they require some type of extended care for that situation.

The cost of health care in retirement isn’t something to be taken lightly. A Fidelity study conducted last year found that the average 65-year-old couple retiring in 2013 will need $220,000 to cover their combined health care expenses during retirement. The most frightening part about this statistic? It doesn’t include the cost of long term care, which as you may know, can be astronomical.

Avoiding Financial Burden

Nursing home care isn’t the only huge cost that comes with long term care. Assisted living facilities are quite costly, too, averaging more than $42,000 for a year of care in Texas. Home health care costs about the same. If you haven’t developed a plan to cover these costs, you may be stuck on your own when the time comes that you need assistance. Instead of waiting to plan until you actually need care, taking the time to plan in advance can save you money and an emotional headache.

By planning ahead for the cost of care, you can help eliminate the chance that you will be forced to pay for care out of pocket or turn to a loved one to rely on for unpaid care. Instead, you can actually help create a separate pool of money that will cover the cost of care by purchasing Long Term Care Insurance.

Long Term Care Insurance shields your assets from the high (and growing) cost of care by establishing a new reserve of finances that are designated specifically for long term care. In Texas, residents can benefit from the Texas Long Term Care Partnership Program, too.

Long Term Care Partnership Program

The Texas Long Term Care Partnership Program is a joint partnership between private Long Term Care Insurance companies and the state of Texas. By joining together, they have created policies to help people plan on their own, but providing a safety net in case their planning isn’t enough.

If you purchase a Partnership eligible Long Term Care Insurance plan, you can qualify for a Medicaid spend down waiver if you were to use all the benefits of your policy and still need care. The partnership promotes self-responsibility among Texans, which helps reduce some of the financial burden on the state and encourage people to plan for themselves. If your policy doesn’t last long enough, though, the state will allow you to qualify for Medicaid long term care services without having to deplete all your assets.

The Partnership Program provides some intangible benefits that can help you out in a time of need. Because Long Term Care Insurance is a sensible tool for retirement, anyway, it makes sense to buy a plan that qualifies for the Texas Partnership Program. If you have questions about which plans are Partnership eligible, be sure to ask your agent.

If you are in the market for Long Term Care Insurance, we will be glad to help you navigate your different options and send you information on the top rated companies for you to review on your own time. Request a free quote today to learn more about the Partnership Program.

Long Term Care in Texas Costs How Much?

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Living a long life isn’t an uncommon desire; in fact, it’s quite common to hear someone say they want to live to 100 years old (or even older!). With a long life come certain changes, though. Long term care is one of them. If you are planning to live a long life, you must also be prepared for the high financial risk that long term care poses.

Genworth Financial recently published their 2014 Cost of Care Survey, which details just how expensive long term care is across the country, including Texas, and helps consumers plan for that cost.

Long Term Care in Texas

Long term care refers to services received in a variety of settings like a nursing home, assisted living facility, adult day care, and even at home from a home health aide. As life spans in the United States continue to rise and the cost of health care goes up with it, planning for the cost of long term care makes a great deal of sense when it comes to retirement planning.

Planning your retirement won’t do any good if you are suddenly injured or diagnosed with an illness that requires expensive care for an extended period of time. Fortunately, here in Texas, long term care is cheaper than the national average, but chances are the price tags will still shock you.

Cost Across Care Settings

The median annual cost of a home health aide in Texas is $41,184. Home health aides are nurses or health professionals that provide long term care in the comfort of your home. When asked, most people express that they would prefer this type of care over facility care. This number has seen a 1% growth rate over the past 5 years and is about $4,000 lower than the national median cost.

Adult day care facilities, which are public centers where adults can be dropped off for the day, typically during business hours, have a median annual cost of $8,970 in Texas. The cost of adult day care services in Texas has increased 3% in the past 5 years, but is still about half of the national median cost.

Assisted living facilities, another commonly preferred care setting, have seen a 5% growth rate in the past 5 years in Texas. Assisted living facilities provide long term care but in a more independent setting than a nursing home. They are often similar to apartment complexes, but have medical personnel on staff in case of any emergencies. The median annual cost of a single room in an assisted living facility in Texas is $42,270, which is less than $300 higher than the national median cost.

Nursing homes are usually the least preferred care setting but the most necessary for those with severe health problems. They are also the most expensive form of long term care. A private room in a nursing home in Texas will cost you an average of $65,700. This number is significantly lower than the national median cost of $87,600. Similarly, the cost of a semi-private room in Texas will cost an average of $50,735, compared to the national average of $77,380.

Less than Average

All in all, long term care in Texas is usually less expensive than the national average, but it varies from city to city and facility to facility. The important thing to remember about the high cost of long term care is most people can’t cover the cost on their own. Because health insurance and Medicare won’t cover it, either, it’s crucial to implement a plan to prepare for the potential cost. Long Term Care Insurance is a great way to do just that.

Long Term Care Insurance helps you plan for the cost of long term care without having to save up hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets. Instead, you transfer the financial risk to the insurance company and just pay regular premiums, which pale in comparison to the full cost of care. Buying Long Term Care Insurance shouldn’t be a last minute decision, though, so be sure to do your research and buy as early as possible to get the best rates.

View the full Cost of Care Survey here or request a free Long Term Care Insurance quote today.