What They Are Nursing homes or convalescent homes are also known as skilled nursing facilities, or SNFs (pronounced "sniffs"). SNFs are live-in facilities that provide medical treatment prescribed by...Read entire article »
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is part of the federal government's Department of Health and Human Services. Because many Medicare and Medicaid recipients are elderly, much of the...Read entire article »
There are many accreditation agencies for long-term care facilities and services, but not all of them are created equal. Many charge the facilities and service providers a fee and...Read entire article »
People with Alzheimer's or dementia can still lead meaningful, enjoyable lives. If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed, read on to learn about the many steps...Read entire article »
Nursing home residents have rights and protections guaranteed by the 1987 Nursing Home Reform law which requires facilities to "promote and protect the rights of each resident." Skilled nursing facilities...Read entire article »
On Monday, the New York Times ran a great story about Medicare Advantage Plans. Medicare Advantage Plans are a type of health plan sold by private insurance companies. The...Read entire article »
Do the meals taste like hospital food? Does the staff-to-patient ratio allow for enough individualized attention? Is your loved one’s roommate a known sex offender? Most likely, that last...Read entire article »
In continuing the discussion on elder abuse, and its myriad forms, I intend to inform and arm you with ways to recognize and fight against abuse and neglect, particularly...Read entire article »
(This is the second half in a two-part series. Read Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes: Part 1.) You may have read past missives in which I described a day...Read entire article »
Welcome to my new series on being an effective advocate. Many family caregivers are thrust into a role for which they are ill-prepared. Meeting with medical professionals can be...Read entire article »
When should a skilled nursing facility, a type of long-term care provider, transfer patients to hospitals? The answer seems simple: when it is medically necessary. But in reality, a...Read entire article »
As a geriatric care manager, I frequently visit long-term care facilities. Because each facility offers a distinct setting and array of services, it is difficult to know which one...Read entire article »
If you have been inactive for a long period of time, your muscles will begin to atrophy; that is, they will shrink in size and strength. Having an arm or...Read entire article »
Breathing One of the key elements of any exercise program is to learn proper breathing techniques. Breathing, by itself, is a good exercise because it is both therapeutic and relaxing....Read entire article »
Aging sometimes means reduced balance, coordination, vision, strength and agility. These factors, along with certain medications and even our home environment, can increase our risk of falling. Ground-level falls are...Read entire article »
Not sure what to look for when touring a nursing home? Wish you had someone to show you how? Gilbert Guide has worked with experts to develop an easy-to-use checklist...Read entire article »
Searching for senior care can lead to many questions about which services are covered by insurance providers and which must be paid out of pocket. Gilbert Guide can make figuring...Read entire article »
Hospice is a type of palliative care designed to support a patient through the last stages of a terminal illness, when the goal is no longer to cure the illness....Read entire article »
Subacute care is a subset of skilled nursing care for patients who are recovering from a major surgery or illness. This type of care is usually provided in nursing homes,...Read entire article »
Durable medical equipment is paraphernalia used for medical purposes that is meant for repeated use. Examples include hospital beds, walkers, wheelchairs and oxygen tents. Medicare covers the costs of some...Read entire article »
Nursing homes are also known as skilled nursing facilities (SNFs—pronounced “sniffs” ) and convalescent homes. Nursing homes are live-in facilities that provide medical treatment prescribed by a physician. See Gilbert...Read entire article »
Speech therapy aids individuals who have speech impairments due to an illness or medical condition. Some people need speech therapy after a stroke....Read entire article »
Physical therapy helps individuals who have impaired movement as the result of an illness or medical condition. It often combines strength training of specific muscle groups, along with massage....Read entire article »
After illness or injury, some people choose to return home rather than stay or move into a facility. Some long-term care facilities provide outpatient therapy, which means that the...Read entire article »
Articles 
Expert Columns 
Definitions 
What are all these senior care options? We have 
Figuring out 
