My father is 93 years old. He has Alzheimer's. He was living in his house with his personal caregiver. But month ago he got UTI and he had to go to the hospital and then Nursing facility. He is very weak now he cannot walk by himself anymore and he hits and curses everyone. His caretaker quit and now we do not know should we find another caretaker. Also the money is the issue and also his safety in his house. We really do not know is nursing home a good option? Can you tell me about the Pros and Cons of Nursing Homes?
Next time you get the opportunity, do (or ask someone to do) a full skin assessment - from the back of his head down to his heels and the tops of his toes. You can find charts online which will tell you the key body areas to look at, just Google "skin integrity assessment."
So how might this factor into the pros and cons of private care at home versus admission to a skilled nursing facility?
Pro: in a Skilled Nursing Facility, he would be regularly examined as part of his daily care routine.
Con: he's just left a Skilled Nursing Facility.
If the hitting out and cursing happen mainly when people are moving him, please look for an explanation as well as seeking treatment for his agitation.
Cons of a nursing home is that there are some bad ones. They are also incredibly expensive if you are self-paying. There are other residents who may not be your fathers "type" and agitate him. I also think many people will feel an incredible amount of guilt when they have to place their LO which can cause stress.
One thing I would say is that it may not be what your Dad wants but what he needs.
Does anyone have PoA for your father? If so, this is the person who now needs to review the documents to see exactly what authority they have and when it is active. The MPoA will be the one to make the care decision and the FPoA will be assessing what he can afford, as they manage his affairs.
If your father is in rehab, this is a "golden" opportunity to have him go directly to a permanent facility. He needs to be assessed to decide if he needs MC or LTC. LTC is what Medicaid will cover (plus his SS income) in most states. I would ask to talk to the Nursing facility's social worker to get guidance about how to make this happen.
If no one is his PoA, the county can become his guardian and they will manage all his affairs and find an appropriate facility for him where he will be safe and cared for. At 92, it will be much easier for him to get the medical care he needs in a facility, and he will have much more social exposure as opposed to being cloistered in a home with a single family caregiver.
His agitation may be part of his dementia, and he may need meds to help get him to a calm state since he's no longer able to do that on his own. Or, the agitation may mean that the UTI is not actually resolved.