People who first enter a nursing home usually have one goal in mind: Getting Out.
A new federal program called “Money Follows the Person” is designed to help states reduce the number of residents in nursing facilities. By expanding the options available to seniors who need assistance, but not to the extent that institutionalization is necessary.
It’s easy to understand why so many people don’t want to live in nursing homes. The public perception of nursing home life is bleak, and that’s not an entirely inaccurate assessment. The conditions that usually result in a nursing home admission typically result in a loss of freedom regardless of location. If a person is no longer capable of walking on their own, they will need assistance using the bathroom, putting on their clothes, and other activities of daily living..
Historically, that kind of care required a family member with the ability to pull themselves out of the workforce and dedicate themselves to providing home care. In today’s economy, few have that luxury.
In 2011, approximately 20,000 people transitioned from nursing homes to assisted living or home care through the Money Follows The Person Program (MFPP), a 65% increase from 2010, according to the MFPP annual report.
The MFPP can help people locate affordable housing, assist with rent and security depots, arrange for home remodeling to accommodate medical equipment, and provide training and assistance with its use. For more information on Money Follows the Person, you can contact the State of Illinois Department of Human Services.
A sad but true fact of life is that, for many people, the nursing home is the last home they’ll ever live in. Although all of us would think we would prefer to be at home during our last days, in many cases it’s simply not possible for one or more reasons. These residents are the most likely to suffer from nursing home neglect or nursing home abuse.
If you have a loved one in an Illinois nursing home, and you feel they have been the victim of nursing home neglect, contact our Chicago nursing home lawyers for a free and confidential evaluation of your case.