• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Sinclair Prosser Gasior

Annapolis Estate Planning Attorneys

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Call Now: (410) 573-4818

Attend a Free Workshop Trustee School

  • Home
  • About Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Founding Attorneys
    • Meet Our Team
  • Services
    • Annapolis, MD Asset Protection and Business Planning
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Annapolis, MD Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Annapolis, MD Trust Administration & Probate
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Annapolis, MD Incapacity Planning
    • Annapolis, MD LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Annapolis, MD Pet Planning
    • SECURE Act
    • Annapolis, MD Special Needs Planning
    • Estate Planning for Young Families
  • Resources
    • DocuBank
    • Elder Law Reports
    • Estate Planning Definitions
    • Free Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Asset Protection Planning
      • Estate Planning
      • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Medicaid
      • Power of Attorney
      • Probate Avoidance
      • Trust Administration & Probate
      • Wills
    • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
    • Probate Resources
    • Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Trust Administration
      • Estate Planning for Niches
    • Top 10 Estate Planning Techniques
    • Newsletters
  • COMMUNITIES WE SERVE
    • Anne Arundel County
      • Annapolis
      • Crownsville
      • Davidsonville
      • Highland Beach
      • Millersville
    • Baltimore County
    • Calvert County
      • Dunkirk
      • Huntingtown
      • Owings
    • Charles County
      • Charlotte Hall
      • Waldorf
    • District of Columbia
    • Howard County
    • Maryland
      • Clarksville
      • Columbia
      • Ellicott City
    • Prince George County
      • Bowie
      • Fort Washington
      • Glenn Dale
    • Queen Anne’s County
      • Grasonville
      • Queenstown
      • Stevensville
    • St. Mary’s County
      • Charlotte Hall
      • Leonardtown
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • BLOG
  • Contact Us
  • Make A Payment
  • Client Portal
Home / Elder Law / The Eight Questions You Must Ask if You or a Loved One is Going Into a Nursing Home

The Eight Questions You Must Ask if You or a Loved One is Going Into a Nursing Home

January 25, 2013 by Sinclair Prosser Gasior

The decision to place yourself or a family member into a nursing home is one of the most difficult decisions you may ever be asked to make. That’s why it’s important, if that time comes, to have a plan and to know what questions to ask.

In a perfect world, you’d have plenty of time to visit the nursing homes, talk to the residents, meet the care staff, sample the food and so on. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world. Often decisions have to be made quickly and without a lot of information or comparisons.

Our Mission at Sinclair Prosser Gasior is to help our Clients…

 •     Find the right nursing home

•     Get the best care there

•     Pay for it without going broke

In order to accomplish all of this, we use a systematic approach to learn about you, your wants, needs and preferences. Once we have gathered sufficient information, then we are able to determine the type of nursing homes which can meet your needs. But that’s just the start.

Next, you need to know what questions to ask to make an informed choice. Here are some of the basic things to consider:

1.    Is a nursing home necessary or are there alternatives?

In my entire practice as an Elder Law attorney, I’ve never once had a client say they were looking forward to going into a nursing home. Yet, often there are alternatives that people simply don’t know about. Talk to your physician, social workers, and other professionals to see if there are assisted living, home health care, or other alternatives for you.

2.    How do I find the right nursing home?

The best way is to take a systematic approach like we discussed earlier. If this isn’t possible, at the very least, shop around. Personally visit each nursing home you are considering (make unannounced visits) and ask for recommendations.  Call us for a free report Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Guide.

3.    Once I find the right nursing home, how can I get in?

Surviving the admissions process isn’t always easy. Be up front with the nursing homes admissions director, be prepared to tell them all about your situation, including your finances, and be prepared to negotiate.

4.    Who will pay for my care…  Me, Medicare, Medicaid?

Again, it depends upon your personal situation and knowledge of this difficult area of the law. You also have to be sure to take advantage of the special protections available for your spouse, if he or she will not also be in the nursing home. A good Elder Law attorney can help you through this entire process.

5.    Can they make my kids pay for my care?

Not if you handle the admissions process properly. Just be careful not to sign everything that’s put in front of you without a thorough understanding of all the documents.

6.    Once I get in, how can I get the best care there?

The key here is to have a proper care plan in place. That’s a plan developed by the nursing home staff professionals (and you) to determine exactly what kind of care you’ll get. Putting a proper care plan in place is perhaps the most important step you can take… the care plan is part of your contract. If you feel you can’t be the best advocate for yourself, then it’s important to get help from an Elder Law attorney or a geriatric care manager or another health professional.

7.    What are the nursing home’s duties to me?

Ask them for a copy of their duties under the Nursing Home Reform Act. Because of a previous history of inadequate care, in the late 1980s Congress passed laws which outline the minimum standards for health, safety, and resident rights in nursing homes. Chances are you’ll be surprised and pleased to learn all of your rights… but it’s necessary that you take the time to do so. If you’d like, contact us and we can send you further information on your rights as a nursing home resident.

8.    Is there someone who can help me with all of this?

You can get help from many professionals… from an Elder Law attorney to a geriatric care manager, to social workers. Be sure to deal with a professional who understands the broad range of issues that arise when you or a loved one goes into a nursing home.

We offer a variety of services from the most basic educational information to comprehensive legal services and the review of the admissions agreement.  You choose what, if any, services you want and we price our fees accordingly.  We will always tell you up front exactly what our service will cost.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Sinclair Prosser Gasior
Sinclair Prosser Gasior
Our firm is dedicated to providing you with quality estate planning resources, so you can become familiar with all of the existing options. When you visit or call our office, we want you to feel comfortable discussing such an important issue concerning both you and your family. We want to arm you with the information you need to make an informed decision about your family’s future.
Sinclair Prosser Gasior
Latest posts by Sinclair Prosser Gasior (see all)
  • How Often Should I Meet with an Estate Planning Attorney? - January 18, 2018
  • Tax Law Changes for 2018 - December 29, 2017
  • Dedicated Gardeners & Creative Spaces in Annapolis, MD - May 30, 2017

Filed Under: Elder Law, Long Term Care Planning Tagged With: Incapacity Planning, Medicaid, Medicare

Other Articles You May Find Useful

Bowie elder law attorney
Does My Parent Need a Guardian?
Annapolis estate planning attorney
Celebrating the Caregiver during National Family Caregiver Month
fraud ahead
Maryland’s Project SAFE Act to Help Curb Elder Financial Exploitation
What is a Personal Care Agreement?
Annapolis elder law attorney
How Do I Know If My Parent Is the Victim of Elder Abuse?
Sinclair Prosser Gasior
Choosing the Right Housing for the Elderly

Primary Sidebar

Download our free estate planning worksheet

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Testimonials

5 Stars
Client Review
September 3, 2020
    

We initiated estate planning following a presentation by Sinclair Prosser Attorney Jon Gasior. We were so impressed, we contracted with them to complete our estate planning. Subsequently, we assembled information on our assets and Sinclair Prosser Gasior did the rest. Correspondence was communicated to our financial institutions and the estate was established. We were very pleased with the courteous manner of the Sinclair Prosser Gasior staff. However, it was their professionalism that made us satisfied we chose this firm to handle our estate. We have nothing but praise for Sinclair Prosser Gasior .

default image
– Walter K.

Blog Subscription

Sign up for our blog to receive all of our latest estate planning news and updates!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

ANNAPOLIS

900 Bestgate Road
Suite 103, Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Phone: (410) 573-4818
Fax: (410) 573-2802

BOWIE

4201 Mitchellville Road
Suite 403, Bowie, MD 20716
Phone: (301) 970-8080
Fax: (410) 573-2802

MILLERSVILLE

1520 Jabez Run Rd
Suite 300, Millersville, Maryland 21108
Phone: (410) 573-4818
Fax: (410) 573-2802

WALDORF

Hamilton Centre II
3261 Old Washington Road, Suite 2020 Waldorf, MD 20602
Phone: 800-366-4615

Map

map for office

Footer

footer logo
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The information on this Maryland Attorneys & Lawyers / Law Firm website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages, documents, comments, answers, emails, or other communications should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information on this website is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys| Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Site Map