Questions about nursing homes?
Asked by Cali9899
-what kind of people live in nursing homes? (race, age, health status, mental status) -what kind of career path or study do you need to pursue a position as an administrator at a nursing home? -what professional requirements does the administrator have to meet or qualify for their position? -what current problems do the nursing homes face and how are they solved? -where are nursing homes going in the future, considering the fact that baby boomers are about to come to the retirement age? how will this impact the senior care industry?

Best Answer:
Why don't you go up to a nursing home and ask if you can interview one of the staff members?

many different people live in nursing homes. some of them are.. slightly demented... a nursing degree would be good to have. explain the specifics to a guidance counselor- i.e. nursing homes I'm sure there will always be a need for homes. everyone gets old. anything in the health industry is good and sound. besides, with a nursing degree, you could always move to a different area of nursing.
Answered by Michele

Nursing homes (skilled nursing facilities) have Residents 18 years and older. Typically facilities are comprised of elderly Residents (70's-90's), but there are younger individuals. All must have a medical diagnosis for being in the facility. Many facility Residents suffer from dementia. Some facilities focus more on long term care (caring from Residents until their death) and some focus more on a short term care rehabilitation program (patients needing rehabilitation following surgery, a stroke, etc). The requirements in each state to become licensed as a nursing home administrator vary. There are usually education/work requirements, such as a bachelor's in any major or 10+ years experience working in nursing homes. There is a background check- FBI and DOJ. In most states, there is an Administrator-In-Training program that must be completed before taking the licensing exam. This is a program where you are hired by a company and work under a preceptor (an administrator who is licensed to train other administrators) for the required number of hours as you learn how to operate a facility. Then there is usually a state exam in addition to the required federal licensing exam. After becoming licensed, the administrator is required to take a certain amount of continuing education units to renew their license. The amount varies by state. The administrator may lose their license for misconduct- each state has a board that reviews licensing issues. The problems in nursing homes are numerous. Low compensation from the government to nursing homes for Medicaid Residentsaccounts for most of the financial difficulties that facilities face. With a growing elderly population, and as more wealthy patients are rearranging assets to qualify for Medicaid (which is meant for the poor), the additional strain creates shortages of money available. Another problem is the institutional model- the "hospital" setting- that prevents facilities from being homelike environments. Babyboomers don't want to be in "convalescent hospitals"- especially since the popularity and growth of hotel-like assisted living facilities in the last 20 years. There are "culture change" initiatives in many nursing homes that seek to make a more homelike environment with greater patient choice over their own care, such as being able to take a shower whenever you want and eat at the time of your preference, rather than the facility's schedule. However, some facilities struggle to pay for the staffing and operational costs that these programs require.
Answered by fl