CARE FOR THE BLACK ELDERLY
Over the next several weeks, the Jackson Advocate will explore Mississippi nursing homes in inner cities and in rural communities. The series is a part of the MetLife Foundation Journalists in Aging Fellows Program organized by The Gerontological Societyvof America and New America Media.
Housing for the elderly with a high level of medical care begins to describe what a skilled nursing facility provides. Most nursing homes have at least one registered nurse available for at least 8 straight horns a day throughout the week, and at least a licensed practical nurse on duty 24 hours per day. However, among most African Americans, there remains a stigma attached to relocating an elder family member to a nursing home, or more frightening, a convalescent home, a rest home or the old folks' home.
Yet, more and more adult children of aging parents are making the tough decision as to whether or not to manage their loves ones at home or begin the challenging, if not painful, process of filling out an application for nursing Inome residency. Sometimes the decision is made for them following hospitalization or diminished capacity associated with dementia or Alzheimer's.
As the population ages, and baby boomers are living longer, the number of nursing homes will continue to rise in the state's inner cities and rural communities. And as the needs of the elderly change, nursing homes will adapt. For instance, years age, nursing homes provided simple care such as room and board, monitoring of medication, personal care (dressing, bathing, toilet assistance), 24-hour emergency care and social and recreational activities. Today, facilities offer physical, occupational, infusion and speech therapies and specialized care for dementia, Alzheimer's, and muscular sclerosis. New terminologies, such as person-directed practices and culturally specific care, help to define new frameworks to address elder care.
It's now advanced care, long term care or end of life care that recognizes the importance of enhancing well-being for all. Health care workers are working to apply various models to everyday situations to address the need of the elderly by using creative solutions to empower individuals to live full and positive lives. There is also a movement to decrease reliance on psychotropic medications, while complying with federal regulations to care for the elderly residing in nursing homes.
At the top of the Mississippi nursing homes list are those with a rating of five stars from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for their overall performance in health inspections, nurse staffing and quality of medical care. About 19 percent of all nursing homes in Mississippi earned an overall five-star rating.
There are 34 nursing homes within a 50 mile radius of Jackson, Miss. Only 11 received an overall rating of five stars from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In the Mississippi Delta, the percentage is even bleaker. Out of 33 nursing homes, only three received five stars. Facilities in Greenwood have the highest marks across the board.
Also responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of nursing homes is the Mississippi Health Care Association (MHCA), which is the state's oldest and largest association of nursing homes, personal care/assisted living homes and intermediate care facilities for the intellectually disabled.
The Association ensures the ongoing success of long term care workers through work force development, education and training opportunities for all disciplines on the care team, and demonstrating unwavering commitment to representing the long term care providers' concerns to decision-makers at the state and national levels.
Next week: Who's caring for elderly in Jackson's inner city?
By Alice Thomas-Tisdale
Jackson Advocate Publisher