r elderly persons to qualify for nursing home care under Medicaid, they usually must reduce their personal financial status to the poverty level (p. 119-120). Regretfully, the cost is not the only disturbing factor of a long-term care facility. A family decision to place my grandfather who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease into a nursing home was a very difficult and emotional experience for everyone involved. Regular visits by all family members continually raised concerns about the quality of care that he was receiving. Staffing was also a concern for our family. It seemed there was not enough staff to meet the needs of the patients within the facility. Although licensing agencies regulated these aspects, this was not comforting to our concerns. Fortunately, we were able to move my grandfather to a different facility. The nursing home was newer and better staffed and all family members felt more comfortable about the care he was receiving. The experience of placing a loved one into a long term care facility is one I would prefer to not experience again. It is comforting to know that there are good facilities availab! le and caregivers that really care about the patient's needs. These aspects are very important for families to understand before making a final decision when they must place a loved one into a facility. HospiceUnfortunately the last resort for some patients may be hospice care. Hospice is an organized program that offers dying persons and their families an alternative to traditional care for terminal illness. As stated in Aging "Hospice care is exclusively for dying people. It therefore brings expertise to helping patients and their families face issues specific to death and dying" (p. 180). Hospice enables the patient to receive palliative medical care, while meeting the psychosocial and spiritual needs of the patient, their family and friends. Hospice programs also offer bereavement services for 13 months (or beyon...
