When caring for your parents at home becomes increasingly challenging, families often feel overwhelmed trying to decide whether to move them into a nursing home or a geriatric hospital. The decision-making process is complex, involving considerations like checking care levels and costs, verifying facility credentials, and managing care after admission. In this post, we'll start by exploring the differences between nursing homes and geriatric hospitals.

Understanding Geriatric Hospitals and Nursing Homes

Although they share similar names, nursing homes and geriatric hospitals differ in their operational methods and services. Simply put, a nursing home is a place for long-term residence and daily living support, while a geriatric hospital is a facility for hospitalization and medical treatment. These distinctions also affect the types of insurance applicable and the admission procedures.

Nursing Homes: Focused on Daily Living Support

Generally, nursing homes are elderly welfare facilities operated under the Elderly Welfare Act. They are not exclusively run by doctors; individuals or corporations can establish them if they meet the facility standards. Nursing homes provide meals, care, and daily living conveniences for elderly individuals who require assistance with daily life due to age-related illnesses such as dementia or stroke.

• Caregivers assist with meals, bathing, and changing clothes.
• Social workers, nurses, and nursing assistants are on-site.
• External doctors visit regularly to monitor health conditions.

However, a nursing home is a better choice when the primary need is daily living support rather than intensive medical treatment. To utilize benefits from the Long-Term Care Insurance, you must check the long-term care grade and eligibility for facility care services.

Geriatric Hospitals: For Specialized Medical Care

On the other hand, geriatric hospitals are medical institutions classified as hospitals under the Medical Service Act. They are staffed with doctors and nursing personnel who monitor patients' conditions and provide medical services. They are primarily used by patients with age-related or chronic illnesses, or those requiring long-term treatment after surgery.

• In case of an emergency, patients are transferred to an acute care hospital.
• Admission is possible even without a long-term care grade if medical staff deem it necessary.
• National Health Insurance applies to the medical expenses incurred at geriatric hospitals.

In cases like Ms. Jeong's mother, a diagnosis of dementia alone isn't enough to determine whether a nursing home or a geriatric hospital is more suitable. It's crucial to consider both the parent's physical condition and the nature of the daily assistance required.

Conclusion: A Decision Requiring Careful Consideration

Choosing a care facility for your parents is a significant decision. While the urgency may be felt by the family, it's not easy to determine which option is truly the best fit. In our next post, we will delve deeper into the actual selection criteria, looking beyond labels like 'dementia' or 'mobility issues.' Let's strive to make the best choice for our parents' health and happiness.