My LTC Experience

Having to be placed in a long term care facility is often frowned upon on those who have to experience it. The horror stories and bad experiences portrayed in the stories of those before them, creates a negative image before one even walks through the door. I was no different in my expectations in what to expect when my father was placed in a long term care facility.
Having suffered from what was soon to be a fatal injury my father was placed in a long term care facility outside of Knoxville TN for further treatment and rehabilitation. Upon visiting him my expectations were farther from the truth than what I could have ever imagined. The staff was more than friendly and helpful and seemed to enjoy their jobs. It wasn’t the miserable dreary place that is often described. I also thought to myself that this would be the kind of place I would like to come to in the later years to live out my life. There we many activities to partake in as well as relative freedom to some extent to the residents. Transportation was available so patients could take care of matters outside of the residence as well as being allowed to be “checked out” by family members on a relatively free basis.
I did some research on this particular facility upon my dads admissions there. I found that this particular establishment provided their employees with added pay and benefits compared to other long term care facilities in the area while staying in the same range as far as cost of care. The facility also went though an extensive interview process upon selecting their employees. Maybe this is an approach that should be taken by other facilities as well. Low pay and sub par benefits are often the complaint of employees working in long term care facilities. Correcting this problem at least in my experience seemed to produce great results.

Long term care to me encompasses a variety of different things. It can range from someone that is older and in a nursing home due to lack of ability to take care of themselves to someone who is in an assisted living facility such as community hospice or rehab center due to some illness or accident that hampers their ability to take care of themselves anymore. Long term care facilities are very beneficial to those in need of their services. My grandmother was in a long term care facility for the last two years of her life. Due to hectic schedule and the fact that she didn’t want to move far away from home we were unable to take care of her and had resort to placing her in a long term care facility. Despite the horror stories often about elderly that are put in these type places, she loved it. She liked the fact that she could still do what she wanted for the most part and if she needed someone to help her with something there was always someone available. Aiding people with accomplishing their needs weather if be from aging or from some illness is what long term care means to me.