Transfering from a nursing home in TX to one in NC, she is on Medicare & Medicaid

09/30/09

Vicky

My Grandmother is in a nursing home in TX, I live in NC annd want to transfer her here to a nursing home, she has Medicare & Medicaid how do I go about making this move directly from one nursing home to another she has Dementia and I have to work I know I can't handle the care that she needs, but despertly want her to be close to me so that I can oversee her care and she receives regular visits from family. needing help in NC with Medicaid and what or how to go about making this transfer.

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Answers (2)

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Dorian Martin

Hi, Vicky,

I am glad that you are moving your grandmother closer. It definitely makes caregiving much easier. With that said, depending on how far the dementia has progressed, expect that your grandmother may experience a decline (hopefully temporary) after the move. I found this out the hard way when Mom had to move twice in the nursing home she was in. Both times, she was very disoriented, but rebounded. Some other residents who had dementia did not rebound from the move.

I wrote about what I learned from the move. Hopefully, this sharepost will provide some information that will help smooth the transition.

http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/2332/day-smooth-loved

Also, how are you getting her from Texas to North Carolina? Will someone she knows be with her during that trip? That will be important because the trip itself could be disorienting (especially if you have to stay overnight in a hotel).

Take care and keep us posted!

Dorian

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Monday, October 05, 2009

AFA Social Services

It is commendable that you wish to be closer to your grandmother so that you can be more involved in her care. Making a successful transfer will require a series of important steps. First, you need to find a suitable home for your grandmother– one that meets her needs, your standards, has an available bed, and accepts her form(s) of insurance. It is always a good idea to do your research first. A first step is to start a conversation with her current facility and make sure that she is fit for transfer. Talk to the doctor, nurse, social worker, and other healthcare staff about the transfer and confirm that everyone is on board with the upcoming move. If you are going to move forward, you should take the time to tour a number of nursing facilities to see which one meets your criteria. Once you have located a facility, make sure to speak with the admissions department about your grandmother’s Medicare and Medicaid eligibility. If you are told that her insurance needs to be converted to reflect North Carolina regulations, find out if that is something that the facility can do automatically upon her entry. If not, you will need to contact 1 (800) MEDICARE to tell them about your plans and initiate the insurance conversion yourself. The next step is to plan a transfer date with both facilities as well as a form of transportation and supervision. Whether your grandmother is flying or taking a bus or train from Texas, you or someone you know would have to accompany your grandmother throughout the duration of the trip. Regardless of the mode of travel, you need to consult with her physician to determine what is required in order to ensure your grandmother's safety and comfort level. By putting all the wheels in motion, you can promote the smoothest transition for your grandmother’s transfer.