Caregiverlist® Announces Illinois Nursing Home Rating and Cost Index for November, 2014
Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) November 08, 2014 -- The November Caregiverlist® Nursing Home Index reports the updated costs and ratings for nursing homes in the state of Illinois to assist seniors looking to plan ahead for their senior care options. As Medicare does not pay for long-term care, but does pay for short-term stays in a nursing home, the costs and ratings of a local nursing home can assist a senior and their family to plan ahead for the right senior care option. Medicaid, for low-income seniors, does pay for an ongoing stay in a nursing home but does have a financial requirement in order to qualify. The November, 2014, Caregiverlist® Index reports the average annual cost for an Illinois nursing home is $72,631.35.
This means seniors in Illinois looking to plan ahead for senior care options should review both the costs and ratings of the most important factors indicating quality of care for nearby nursing homes. This will assist them to be prepared should an emergency medical event occur. "Unfortunately, most seniors do not plan ahead for their senior care needs. Understanding that many times Medicare will cover a portion of a short-term stay in a nursing home and choosing the right nursing home ahead of time will enable a family to not have this added stress when an emergency hospital stay results in a quick discharge to a nursing home," says Julie Northcutt, Caregiverlist® publisher.
Illinois seniors needing nursing home care can now view the most recent ratings and costs of nursing homes in their area by using the interactive Caregiverlist® Nursing Home Directory. This month’s update of the Illinois Caregiverlist® Index, indicates that the average cost of a nursing home in Illinois is $198.99 a day, or about $6,000 per month. Of the 829 total Illinois nursing homes, just under 1/4th of the homes, 223, score a 2-star rating or below. Less than 5% of the nursing homes rank 5-stars, the highest quality rating, with 28 nursing homes crossing into the 5-star territory.
Caregiverlist® Rating Criteria National Averages for Illinois Nursing Homes
November 2014, National Averages Weighting for Rating
2 hours, 28 minutes: C.N.A. Hours per Resident per Day 40%
15.7%: Long-stay Residents with Increasing Activities of Daily Living Needs 20%
1.0% Short-term Residents with Pressure Sores (Bed Sores) 20%
Overall Medicare Star-Rating Score 20%
November, 2014, Caregiverlist® Illinois Nursing Home Rating and Cost Index
Total Number of Nursing Homes: 829
Average Cost of Private Room for Illinois: $198.99
Average Cost of Shared Room for Illinois: $158.04
Average Star-Rating: 2.6
Illinois Nursing Home Star-Rating Results
5-Star: 28
4-Star: 207
3-Star: 374
2-Star: 145
1-Star: 75
The Caregiverlist® rating combines 4 criteria to calculate an overall star-rating with a 5-star rating as the highest and a 1-star rating as the lowest score, as rated against the results for the total number of nursing homes. The costs of both a shared room and private room are provided in the index and usually a private room costs between $25 and $40 more than a shared room.
Illinois seniors and their families must remember that nursing homes have become an extension of a hospital stay and many times Medicare health insurance will authorize a hospital discharge directly to a nursing home for rehabilitation after a major medical event has happened.
The costs of senior care are always a factor when choosing the right senior care option, as many seniors live on a fixed income. The average annual cost of a nursing home in Illinois is at $72,631.35. Low-income seniors in Illinois may qualify for Medicaid, with the financial qualification of no more than $2,000 in assets for individuals and a $3,000 limit for couples. Medicaid will pay for long-term care in a nursing home for as long as the senior qualifies for needing care. The Caregiverlist® By-State directory includes the Illinois Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Because seniors must private pay for a nursing home if needing care beyond the number of days Medicare will reimburse (usually only up to 100 days), many seniors also explore additional senior care options, which include senior home care and assisted living options. Some assisted living centers also provide nursing home care and will range in price from $2,500 to $6,000 per month.
Maggie’s Health Care Providers in Lake Forest, Illinois, provides in-home care for seniors which has become a fast-growing segment of senior care as many seniors are choosing to age-in-place in their own home. “Providing caregivers with the heart to do the caregiving job, along with a customized care plan, you can deliver comfortable and safe care for seniors in their own home,” says Ms. Victor. Senior home care costs range from $18 to $28 per hour and include professional care management and all insurance and payroll taxes. In addition, senior home care agencies monitor the senior’s plan of care and train and support the caregiver.
Seniors should review the ratings and costs of nursing homes in their area and then visit the nursing homes which meet their budget availability. Ratings for nursing homes are only a starting point and while the Caregiverlist® Index calculates a custom rating based on the most important criteria for quality, Medicare will only begin auditing the nursing home’s submitted information for C.N.A. staffing next year. Right now all of the information for the nursing home ratings is self-reported.
About Caregiverlist®
Caregiverlist.com® is the premier service connecting seniors and professional caregivers with the most reliable senior care options, highest quality ratings and outstanding careers nationwide. Founded by senior care professionals, Caregiverlist® delivers the efficiencies of the internet to senior care companies by providing online job applications, caregiver training, background checks and industry news. Seniors and caregivers can access senior service information “by state,” view nursing home costs and star-ratings and learn about all senior care options and quality standards. For more information, please visit http://www.caregiverlist.com.
Renata Laszuk, Caregiverlist, Inc., http://www.caregiverlist.com, +1 3126698821, [email protected]
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