Senior Care Franchises: A Growing Industry

The enormous generation that is referred to as the baby boomers was the largest generation ever born in the U.S. That generation has meant an aging current U.S. population and a boom in senior care franchises. The increasing life expectancy is also adding to the number of seniors and for the need for senior care services. In fact, seniors are the fastest-growing age demographic all over the world. About 12 percent of the U.S. population is 65 or older, providing an enormous customer pool for the businesses that cater to that age group.

Senior care franchises aren't likely to slow down, either. The number of seniors is increasing every year and is projected to continue increasing through at least 2050. That makes a franchise that focuses on seniors part of a growth industry that will always be in demand.

As seniors get older, they have all new needs that senior franchises can profit from fulfilling. Some of these needs include the need for seniors to stay in their homes with some assistance, special health care needs and being able to use assisted living facilities that care for those who can no longer live independently. All of these franchise types provide valuable services that are increasingly needed by our parents, grandparents and great grandparents.

Some senior care franchises provide medical help to those who need it, but not all of these businesses are medical in nature. Some simply provide useful services that seniors need to keep their independence or to make life a little easier. Personal care and companion services to seniors who need a little help around the house are becoming popular as more and more people want to make sure that their parents safe and comfortable in their homes.

The number of retirees is growing each year, with the 65+ age range growing by more than 300,000 a year. Worldwide, there will be almost a billion seniors in the world by 2030. There are now almost 40 million people in that age range in the U.S., providing an enormous market for senior care franchises. There is room for these business types in virtually every community in the country, from large urban areas to the smallest rural town.

Because of the great demand for these types of services, the supply of senior care businesses has not yet met the demand. Many areas are finding that their growing senior populations have put a strain on the few local resources available to them. This makes now the perfect time to get involved with senior care franchises.

Senior franchise businesses often focus on particular aspects of senior care that have proven to be needed in a number of senior households. Different franchises cater to different senior needs, with some providing medical staff for seniors who need constant care in their homes. Other businesses provide care just a few hours a day or provide on-call services to seniors who need special care. Entrepreneurs have an array of franchise options to choose from if they want to enter the much-needed senior care industry.

When is a Nursing Home Appropriate for the Alzheimer's Patient?

Caring for an Alzheimer's patient can be a huge burden. When it becomes too hard and too time consuming for you to take care of your loved one, it may be time to look for a nursing home.

When you feel comfortable, then you can start planning ahead which will help avoid crisis situations later. You may not ever need a nursing home, but act in a proactive manner just in case the day comes. It is well known that making decisions in a crisis situation can be very difficult and stressful on everyone, so make sure you plan ahead of time.

You may find information and a list of nursing homes in your area from your local Alzheimer's Association, or an elder law firm. They are most likely to have a list of facilities that offer dementia care or at least a dementia unit.

When you find the nursing home that will be the most appropriate for your loved one with Alzheimer's, make sure you check the following:

• What is its appearance? When was their license accredited?
  
  


• Is the facility location convenient for you and your family for frequent visits?
  
  


• How does the staff react to questions -- are their greetings warm and welcoming, do they interact with your loved one?
  
  


• How well do the resident participants socialize with other people?
  
  


• Are visits allowed and are they encouraged?
  
  


• What is the staff ratio per patient? It should be at least 1 staff member for 8 persons.
  
  


• Is it possible to take a tour of the facility and the rooms?
  
  


• If there is a waiting list, how long will it take before your loved one can be accepted?
  
  


• Do they have a single room or do they share with another patient?
  
  


• Are these rooms furnished or unfurnished? If unfurnished, you will be able to bring your own furniture and decorate your room as wanted.
  
  


• Are there elevators? What kind of emergency plan do they have if a patient needs to be evacuated promptly?
  
  


• How do they handle patients that wander and what kind of security do they have?
  
  

These are some of the questions you can ask on your first visit. You can always come back later or give them a call later if you have other questions.

Another aspect of the nursing home to take into consideration is the financial issue. Most insurance companies will not cover these costs. When your loved one is being admitted in the nursing home you selected, the admittance staff will be able to assist you and discuss the payment options with you.

Make sure to ask what is included in the fees or contract:

• Is there an ongoing process for assessing a resident's need for services and how often are those needs evaluated?
  
  


• What additional services and staff are available if the resident's needs change?
  
  


• Is there an agreement available which discloses healthcare, accommodations, personal care and supportive services, all fees, and admission and discharge provisions, emergency services if necessary?
  
  


• Is there any government or other programs available that may help covering the costs?
  
  


• What happens if funds are used up and full payments can no longer be made. Does the facility accept Medicaid?
  
  

You want as well to have a good knowledge of the environment and the type of healthcare your loved one is going to receive:

• What type of healthcare and personal care are available? Do they have routine exams available, like vision and dental?
  
  


• What is the qualification of the staff members?
  
  


• Is the staff available to assist residents who experience memory loss or disorientation, and how do they handle it?
  
  


• Does the staff take care of the doctor's appointments? Do they drive them over there and wait for them?
  
  

There is one more thing to consider when deciding if the nursing home is appropriate for your loved one with Alzheimer's. Will he/she be happier than at home? Many people do quite well in nursing homes.

Once your loved one enters the nursing home, he/she can still leave for short trips to sleep over at family and friends. If he/she is unhappy, a transfer to another facility or a return home with assisted living may be an option.

You may also doubt how beneficial a dementia care unit can be for your loved one who has Alzheimer's. If the dementia unit is developed and staffed correctly, it can be very valuable. The idea of a dementia care unit is to provide specialized care. This includes staff training specifically for dementia, smaller units to ease feelings of being overwhelmed, a quieter environment to prevent over-stimulation, and a locked unit safe for wandering and pacing. Wandering and pacing are symptoms that most Alzheimer's patients experience. Instead of trying to stop them from this behavior, dementia units let them continue it in safe surroundings. Most facilities for Alzheimer's care have their own activity director and many times the direct care staff are also trained to participate in activities with the residents with dementia.

To obtain more information on facilities in your area that offer dementia care units for Alzheimer's patients, contact your state's Department on Aging.

Choosing the Appropriate Senior Care Facility For Your Loved One

Does the responsibility of finding the ideal type of care for an elderly parent rest on your shoulders? If it does, it may seem to be a daunting task. You have to work through the horror stories about nursing home care, the innumerable different types of facilities available, and the cost. When you're working and have your own family to think about, there may not be enough hours in the day to decide on the appropriate care option. Each facility you consider needs to be researched and interviewed in order to determine where your parent would receive the best care and be the happiest. Even then, you're bound to have some doubts. Knowing what to look for will help simplify the situation for you.

Care services need to be adequate to give your loved one the specialized care that is needed. For instance, some centers have staff who are trained to care for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia. The training they have received has emphasized the need for patience and compassion while teaching them how best to care for those who have failing cognitive senses. Make sure that any facility your are considering has licensed, insured personnel, including registered nurses who are available 24 hours a day. A home that doesn't offer requisite services can be crossed off of your list.

Seniors today have a number of care options that weren't available until recent years. Assisted living facilities have been available to the well-to-do for a long time, but now many more people can afford to live in them and avail themselves of the services. Not every senior needs actual nursing care. Assisted living offers each person exactly what they need. Many older folks don't need care at all, but it gives them peace of mind to know that help is available if they experience problems. These centers offer them companionship with people their own age as well as a variety of social activities designed to help them build friendships. It is an ideal situation for many senior citizens.

Other types of shared housing include an independent living community, a skilled nursing facility, or a residential care home. All of these options are based on the concept of shared housing, and if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Moving from a house into one of them means that the senior no longer has to worry about such things as lawn upkeep, snow removal, navigating stairs, and routine home maintenance. Although most of the people who live there need little special care, just removing some of these responsibilities from them can make them feel much more carefree again. In addition, there is no need for your loved one to feel lonely when living in an active community such as these offer.

Emotional Abuse in Nursing Homes

Despite what the brochures and pamphlets say, nursing homes are not all about sipping lemonade and playing shuffleboard. In fact, there are a lot of serious issues to contend with to make a nursing home run.

Nurses and administrators of homes need to be mindful at all times of the unique needs of all of their patients. They need to do their best to make sure everyone is happy, properly medicated, and satisfied with the facility. As you might imagine, this can be difficult with sometimes ornery patients and even more ornery families.

Therein lies one of the more subtle causes of nursing home abuse - the emotional mistreatment of patients. It's can become evident when a nurse or practitioner falls out of line and starts hitting or abusing a patient. But what about emotional abuse? How can we tell if our elderly loved ones are actually being abused or just deciding to be (for lack of a better term) "grouchy"?

The truth is there is no exact line. Emotional abuse works in nuance and it is the duty of the family to pay close attention to changes in their loved ones. It also helps to be properly educated regarding what kinds of emotional abuse can happen and what the symptoms can be. Finally, it's critical that the family know when and how to pursue legal recourse should they think it necessary.

Types of Emotional Abuse:

It's tough to understand emotional abuse without giving some categories and descriptions. The following are not prescriptive or all inclusive, but mainly to help you in identifying potential problems.

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  Verbal Harassment. This constitutes a stream of insults, put downs, and slights. The patient is made to feel like a lesser person and can be made hyper-aware of their age and illnesses.


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  Threat of Punishment. Sometimes physical abuse is never reported because it is never needed. The nurse or practitioner could simply threaten, yell, and scare the patient into compliance.


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  Humiliation. Humiliation comes in many varieties, both public and private.


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  Deprivation. Deprivation blurs the line between physical and emotional abuse. Much less physically obvious, deprivation can be  withholding of medication, food, water, or even attention.


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  Abandonment. Successful living in a retirement home is more than just satisfying base needs. Mature adults require interaction and a feeling of fulfillment. Abandonment is an utter lack for these concerns.


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  Intimidation. Much like verbal harassment, intimidation is the use of coercion and threats to gain compliance.

Signs of Emotional Abuse:

Part of figuring out if abuse is occurring is paying attention to certain signs and symptoms. Consider the following:

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  Direct Reports of Abuse. First, and most obviously, is direct reports of abuse from your loved one. Whether they make the complaint to the home administrators or directly you, this is the best way to get a sense of what's happening. Unfortunately, due to physical/mental handicaps or just 'not wanting to make a fuss', direct reports or much less prevalent than one might think.


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  Emotional Withdrawal/Non-communicative. If your loved one is normally openly communicative and you see a sharp drop in that, it could be because they are having problems they don't want to burden you with.


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  Self Abuse or Deprecation. Some individuals begin to internalize the abuse and believe it. Watch for drastic  changes in levels of self confidence.


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  Emotional Sensitivity. When abuse is occurring, there is often an increase in agitation and suspicion. Be especially aware of this if your loved one has a naturally positive demeanor.


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  Unusual Changes in Personality. Adjusting to different surroundings can be difficult, but they shouldn't result in drastic personality changes.

Legal Recourse
It's important for people to know that criminal statutes exist for nursing home abuse. Often there are particular regulations in place regarding emotional abuse specifically. You should never feel like emotional abuse is simply something 'made up' or without precedent.

To figure out if you have legal recourse for emotional abuse in a nursing home, first do your best to assess the situation. Don't jump to unsubstantiated conclusions and understand the complexities of home living. But if you believe there is definite trouble, find and contact a specialist attorney in your area. With intangible factors such as emotion and mental state, it's critical to have representation who knows how to handle those factors.

Become a Certified Nursing Assistant With Free CNA Training!

Free CNA training for those looking to become Certified Nursing Assistants can often be found through employers, such as hospitals, through local vocational training organizations, and through online training. It should be noted that becoming a Certified Nurse requires taking and passing a state exam, which may not be covered by online CNA training. CNA training "classes" are different than training "courses".

The classes usually include hands-on clinical learning and practice, while courses are usually in the form of printed or online courseware. Depending on where you live, hospitals or nursing homes may hold free CNA training in exchange for you working for them. The best way to check is to get your local phone book and call them up. Look up long term care centers and call them up and ask.

Some hospitals have contracts with local community colleges and offer their courses free to the student. There are also CNA/HHA Scholarship Programs, which sponsor free CNA and HHA training for qualified individuals who would like to become Certified Nurse Assistants and/or Home Health Aides (HHAs) and work in long term care. These programs often cover the full cost of training, including the CNA state certification exam. They are usually administered and funded by the states Department of Public Health.

The Armed Services also offer various training programs. Through the Air Force Aid Society Spouse Employment Program, some facilities were recently approved to offer the Certified Nursing Assistant Program in partnership with Spectrum Medical Services. Through this program, the Air Force Aid Society will pay for 10 spouses of active- duty military to become certified nurse assistants. If you are a spouse of an active-duty military member and are interested in becoming a CNA, call the Airman and Family Readiness Center at the AFB.

Going beyond free CNA training, if you're already a Certified Nursing Assistant and have been working in the same facility for some time, particularly if your employer has paid for your CNA classes, they may also be willing to send you back to school to get your RN certification.

Affording a Good Nursing Home

Last year, the world's only Titanic survivor faced a quandary. Millvina Dean was only two months old when the great ship sunk, in 2008 she was in her mid-nineties and needed money to pay for a nursing home to live out the rest of her days in relative comfort. What to do?

Well, like many people the world over, Miss Dean took a long look at her assets - and decided to sell them. More precisely, she decided to sell the mementos she still had of the disaster, a suitcase full of clothes her family was given to help them begin a new life. The auction of the wicker case and clothes, along with rare prints of the ocean liner and letters her mother received from the Titanic Relief Fund, raised almost $54,000 - ten times more than she thought it would.

It's official: getting old is expensive. If you are lucky enough to live a long life, chances are you'll eventually be paying for it by the nose. Many people end up having to finance their own care near the end of their days, and it can cost a fortune. In fact, the New York Times reckons that an independent-living facility can cost up to $9,000 a month - that's about what a a New York penthouse could cost!

If you are looking into a nursing home - defined as a home that provides 24/7 care as well as administers medicines and even some medical procedures - for you or a loved one, here are some ways to pay...

Reverse Mortgage. This is a mortgage that allows homeowners to convert part of their assets into cash. Kind of like a home equity loan. Ask for professional advice if you are interested in going down this route, and only deal with a reputable lender. Be aware that the loan must be paid in full if you fail to have the home as your primary residence for one year or more, ie, if you stay in a nursing home for more than 12 months.

Long-Term Care Insurance. Most people do not have this type of insurance, but it can be very helpful if you do. The earlier you start to pay the more you will accrue - and the less you will pay initially. It is advised to take this route only to avoid burdening family members with bills for your care, and not if paying the premiums could become insurmountable. And remember you will not be sold a policy if you already have a health condition such as Parkinson's Disease or Alzheimer's.

Medicare or Medicaid. It's estimated that about 45 percent of all spending on long-term health care is covered by Medicaid, while about 11 percent is covered by Medicare and Social Security. The rest is paid for by the individual, by and large. Medicaid is both federal and state funded, and there are strict rules regarding who qualifies.

Win the Lottery. What could be better? Don't forget you need to buy a ticket first. And keep in mind that statistically, you have a better chance of walking up to a complete stranger and correctly guessing their telephone number than you have of winning any lottery at all. Still, every week there are winners!
繚Inherit a Fortune. Easy and simple, this is a fantastic way to afford a nursing home - as well as a new Porsche, a vacation in the Bahamas and a college education for all the grandkids. Great if you can get it. Most of us can't - even if we hire a treasure hunter to find out if we are a long-lost heir to some incredibly rich dead soul.

Check Into a Veterans' Nursing Home. In theory, all veterans should have a place waiting for them when they need it. In practice, so many people need places that people on the lowest incomes usually get first priority. Check to see if you qualify before counting on this option.

Get Help from Other Family Members. Often family members will club together and pay what they can to insure that their parents or aging relatives are cared for when they need it most. Unfortunately, in many case family members simply don't have the funds - or have them earmarked for other priorities, such as Junior's college fund and Barb's new house in the 'burbs. Don't make the mistake of expecting a cash gift - you may be greatly disappointed. It's better to have an open talk in advance to learn whether any funds will be forthcoming, however uncomfortable this may be.

Top Tips for Paying for Care

Affordable long-term care will be a priority for many of us, but protecting our assets and savings should be a top priority as well. Here are some tips to do just that...

Don't give away all your assets. Remember the government can look back five years - if you gave away money that could make you ineligible to receive Medicaid for a period of time.

Avoid what is known as "spousal impoverishment," when the spouse who is left at home can also be left destitute as his or her assets are used to pay for the other person's nursing home care. You are allowed to opt out of having your assets count against you.

Read the fine print. It may sound like a fab idea to have a home equity loan or the equivalent, but know what you are getting into before you sign on the dotted line.

Hire a good, honest lawyer - if you can find one. Someone who specializes in Elder Law will be your best bet, as he or she will have years of experience in this type of thing.

Sadly, Millvina Dean died this May at the ripe old age of 97, in a private nursing home in the town of Ashurst, Hampshire in England. As the last survivor of the Titanic, her death was a memorable event. Three years earlier she had broken her hip and needed specialist care, and the sale of her historical memorabilia helped her through the most difficult times. We should all be so lucky!

Hospital Workplace Violence - Self Defense Training For Nurses Includes Many Non-Combative Options

Workplace violence in the healthcare sector has hit an all-time high! Statistics show that, typically, the average nurse is assaulted on the job 1 to 3 times a year and very few facilities have anything more than a "shell" policy to address this problem and prevent injury to it's staff.

Are you concerned about the problem of workplace violence effecting nurses and other medical professionals? Well, you're not alone.

In fact, the healthcare industry has awakened to this very real problem in the past few years. Administrators have found that previous assumptions and policies about workplace violence, as it relates to hospitals and the medical industry in general, have done little to deter or prevent the countless injuries to nurses and caregivers. In fact, the problem has escalated to the point where the healthcare profession is ranked third among all non-law enforcement and security occupations in the number of incidents which occur!

Third! Among all other professions!

And, the sad fact is that medical professionals are not being targeted by their own co-workers - but by their patients - the very people that they are trying to help!

Many leaders, as-well-as staff-duty nurses who work with patients everyday, are calling for more workplace violence self-defense training geared toward nurses and patient care professionals. Unfortunately, most administrators confuse self defense with fighting and therefore are concerned about the possibility of more violence if their nurses and staff members were trained in self defense tactics.

As a way to show the difference between fighting and actual defensive tactics training geared toward workplace violence prevention, here are 4 areas of workplace violence defensive tactics training that have absolutely nothing to do with fighting - and everything to do with empowering doctors and nurses to avoid, evade, and prevent a dangerous workplace violence attack from hurting them or others that they are responsible for.

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  1) Strategic Positioning. This is similar to what police officers are taught when knocking on doors, interacting with drivers during a traffic stop, etc. Nurses can be taught to adjust where they stand or position themselves relative to their patients to make it difficult for the person to hurt them if they lashed out and became violent.
  
  


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  2) Body language. By becoming more aware of the conscious and unconscious interpretations that we can have when we see different body language cues, the caregiver can learn to avoid those that might trigger a negative response - while also choosing cues that can easily and effectively defuse a potentially hostile workplace violence situation.
  
  


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  3) Vocal skills. This is the same as body language but where we can consciously and deliberately control the use of our voice. Speech patterns, rhythm, and vocal intonation can all be powerful tools for defending yourself in a workplace violence encounter.
  
  


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  4) Environmental Control. Often, caregivers are trapped in a violent situation because of the layout of the clinic in which they work. Simple changes to your work environment - from exam rooms to customer service counters - can be made that will aid in avoidance, evasion, and escape tactics, while also serving to control the flow of action should a physical workplace violence attack occur.

As you can see, if you're really looking for viable solutions to helping your nursing staff to be able to employ self defense tactics to deal with violence in the workplace, there are many more options available than merely teaching them how to fight!

What if you could get this type of training while also saving your organization from the financial and other losses from lost-time, employee turn-over, legal liability, and negative PR that often arise out of incidents involving violence in the workplace? How? By instituting defensive training tactics that both keeps your staff safe AND maintains a high level of professionalism and liability control!