|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 25, 2007
The Changing Face of Long Term Care
Today’s
long term care is younger, more extensive and not
necessarily long
Today’s
nursing and rehabilitation centers are far different
than nursing homes of the past. For instance,
·
Did you
know that today’s nursing homes more closely resemble
medical centers with their state-of-the-art medical
equipment and experienced staff?
·
Did you
know that today’s facilities provide ventilator care,
chemotherapy, head trauma care, rehabilitation and other
high-skill services?
·
Did you
know that many residents stay in nursing homes for one
to four weeks, rather than several years?
·
Did you
know that the number of nursing home residents under the
age of 65 is increasing?
If
you answered “no” to any of these questions, read
on.
Nursing
homes today are equipped with the technology to provide
many services formerly offered only in hospitals. For
example, the Illinois Council on Long Term Care, a
professional association of nursing facilities, recalls
that 20 years ago nursing homes could only dream of
providing dialysis. Today, more than 600 residents
throughout the state stay in the comfort of their
nursing homes to receive dialysis treatment.
Caregivers
in nursing homes are well-trained to care for persons
with a variety of medically-complex conditions. Some
residents need ventilators, heart monitors or
pressure-reducing beds. Now, instead of staying in a
hospital for care, nursing homes assure that all
patients with complicated medical needs can rest and
recover while receiving high-level care.
While
the words “long term care” may bring to mind sweet
old ladies, today, nursing homes are centers for
relationship building, activity and healing. Nursing
homes work to successfully return residents – as young
as 25 years old – to the community through intensive
rehabilitation programs. With the help of experienced
rehabilitation experts and caring nursing home
professionals, this process can take weeks, rather than
years.
#
# #
The
Illinois Council on Long Term invites you to learn more
about this changing face of long term care at more than
210 Council-affiliated nursing facilities statewide. The Council is committed to quality residential health care
in Illinois through a productive and responsible
partnership between the private and public sectors. It
represents more than 26,000 nursing home professionals
serving more than 38,000 residents.
|
