I would have to say "home care" service. The quality of life is critical at all points of our lives. I believe that home care provides a better quality of life and environment for those needing care. Nursing homes are not closely regulated as they should be. The staff is sometimes overworked or lazy and tend to lean toward negligence. Nursing care in the home provides a different environment and culture of safety for the both the patient and the medical professional.

Home care for as long as possible. Familiar surroundings, being with family, increased likelihood of visitors all contribute to a better quality of life. I would choose home care for as long as possible from a care and financial perspective.

It's hard to answer this question because there are so many variables. Home care may seem like the obvious answer but it's not always the easier option. Having people come into your home is a difficult transition and dynamic for which many are often unprepared. I think the key is autonomy and having as much control over the decision as possible. If you are able to choose the best nursing home available, instead of being rushed into the only place with an open bed, you may be just as happy with your decision as you would be if you chose to stay home and were able to line up competent care. However, some home care providers are not reliable or trustworthy, and in those cases, you may feel trapped in your own home. It's not always so black and white that home is best. Planning ahead and planning for various scenarios is the best way to go about these difficult life transitions and decisions.

I would have pick "home care" type services. You have a greater control over the person who is caring for you and the ability to remain in your own home. Additionally the ability the to maintain your independence as long as possible has a much better appeal. Nursing Homes may have some good qualities in that they offer companionship possibility, and all around care but it difficult to find one that is reasonably priced and has a completely diligent staff.              

The newer model seems to be a mix between the two- centralized housing units that are easily accessible by medical staff but still have the ability to be surrounded by familiar furnishings and freedom to move about as one chooses.

At home, it is easier to stay there and I know where everything is! Luckily, my 93 year old father had me brother living with him - so it doesn't get lonely!

Marybeth Regan, PhD, DBA
312-497-3000

I would prefer to stay at home and have home care. I would feel more comfortable at home and would want to stay as long as I could.

In general, I would select home care services as most people would wish to remain in familiar surroundings. Care may not always be provided by a trusted family member, however and my own family has had negative experiences with home care providers.  Conversely, there are some outstanding 'nursing home' facilities that provide compassionate and high quality care.  These usually come at a very high cost that would not be possible for every family to afford. 

I too vote for home care. Keeping the person in their home keeps them connected to their life and their community. This Connection gives a reason and a purpose to continue to live

Absolutely agree: Home care is preferred for as long as possible. Taking quality of care at nursing facilities out of the equation, the familiarity, comfort, and community in home care is so important in ending stages of life.

I concur Home Care and it is proven that people who have dementia respond better to familiar surroundings. People also like to die in their own home rather than in hospital.

unfortunately individual condition would prevent somebody from receiving home care and would require nursing home stay with constant access to medical help .i unfortunately have personal experience in this area and nursing home with enormous cost was the only option . vs home care with lower cost .very sad sad story ,not to mention cost ,

I would choose to share a home care service with friends/related family living in a complex building together and a nurse or two working for all.

I have to onsider some options. As long as there is a very reliable care giver for me to stay at home and I do not need special care, then I would go for home care. If I need special care and no one is capable, then a nursing home would be a better option, Besides, I can socialize in the nursing home. The ultimate factor would be the expenses to be incurred against my financial capacity to sustain it

I would definitely choose home care over nursing home care. I have been on too many ambulance calls in the past to nursing homes where I've seen staff is either overworked understaffed, just doesn't care to be there, some neglect their patients, some just use the patients to abuse the medicare system for payment. Whereas being at home, you are in a familiar setting surrounded by a support system of family, your pets, belongings that you know and love and who love you back. You fit better into everyone's life while at home as well as the home care medical provider. It's more convenient for you to be at home instead of in a nursing home. Better for the entire family to celebrate the holidays, go to the zoo, or a walk in the park or a walk in the yard,. A family member can read a book to you or make any meal you want to eat or drink. In a nursing home you are stuck eating what food they make for you whether you like it or not. It's either eat or starve in a nursing home. At home you could eat anything you want or order take out from your favorite restaurant.

I would say "Home Care". At a certain age you need emotional surroundings and "Homely" atmosphere - that's certainly not Nursing Homes ( Where you always get a feeling there is something wrong with your age or health).

Home care. Home itself is the best care.

The premise of this question "Consider yourself as someone (elderly) who needs to make a decision about form of care services", implies that most people moving into any required home care or nursing home environment are making this decision for themselves. Ideally that is the case, well in advance of the decision needing to be made. Realistically and more common, family members are delegated to make these decisions on behalf of the elderly person. Family burdened with making these types of decisions must consider need, not only for parents, but for their own required investment as well, both from a financial, lifestyle, and privacy standpoint. We are at a different place in society with dual income households and no one left to care for aging relatives at home without significant considerations. Home care and aging in place is generally preferred for most people, but if this choice lacks financial planning to execute, options can be limited depending on care needs. This could place an aging person in nursing home environment at great expense and speedy run through assets to receive Medicaid supported skilled or custodial care, not to mention the consideration of actually getting their care needs met in an increasingly poorly regulated facility environment.

Home care and nursing home care both play important role in like. Everybody prefer home for better living and choose nursing home for medical treatment. If a family does not support and you have capacity to pay for nursing home at that time nursing home may be selected.

Survey Highlights

The following highlights just a few of the findings from the Commonwealth Fund 2007 National Survey of Nursing Homes report, released in May 2008: 

• Fifty-eight percent of culture change adopters allow residents to determine their own schedules, compared with only 22 percent of traditional nursing homes.
• Nearly two-thirds (64%) of culture change adopters implement bathing practices that are more resident-centered, while only 37 percent of traditional nursing homes do so.
• Seven of 10 culture change adopters reported that residents are involved in decisions about their facility, but only one-quarter of traditional nursing homes (27%) involve residents in such decisions. 

Any thoughts?