Nursing Homes near Durham, NC

Nursing Homes in Durham, North Carolina

Hollywood has made the prospect of nursing homes a scary proposition for many seniors and their families, but the truth is, nursing homes can be a great place for aging relatives that need help with their daily activities. Many nursing homes nurture their residents and involve them in engaging activities that help them cope with aging. They find more companionship and comfort than living on their own, and if they need medical assistance, they can usually receive it without going to the hospital. Durham offers plenty of options for you and your loved one to choose from, and everyone can rest assured that they'll receive the best care possible.

All About Durham

Part of the south, Durham features jazz festivals, blues festivals, plays, symphonies, and several cultural exhibitions. It's also home to Duke University, which means there are plenty of activities for people of all ages to participate in. It has an active and diverse music scene, Duke brings a lot in the way of college sports to the city, and art is a way of life for many in the area. Historically, Durham was considered the most beautiful of all the land in the Carolinas, and land owners constructed several large plantations. As a southern state, many land owners also owned slaves and used them to work the farms and plantations. Prior to the civil war, Durham's economy was largely based on agriculture. However, after the civil war, things shifted to the tobacco industry, and Bull Durham Tobacco Factory received large orders from veterans returning from war. The large African-American community in Durham led to a prominent civil rights movement. There were several sit-ins, and even Martin Luther King, Jr. visited the city during its struggle. Durham has everything a family and seniors could want: attractions, activities, nature, theater, history, art, architecture, and more.

What You Should Know

When the time comes to visit a nursing home, there are several questions that are important to ask. First, you should ask if the community is secure. Safety is important to the elderly, especially when they're in an unfamiliar place. Next, ask what type of training the staff has, and how long they have worked in their field. Another important piece of information is the staff to patient ratio. You want to know this for both daytime hours, and night hours. Find out what medical services are available, and how often families are updated about their loved one's well-being. Finally, ask what kind of alternative medicines the home uses, if any. Once you have an answer to these questions, you can accurately compare several nursing homes together.

Paying for a Nursing Home

The average cost for a nursing home is about $50,000 to $75,000 a year. Areas with a higher cost of living can expect those prices to be higher, while a lower cost of living causes nursing home costs to be lower. Durham falls in the middle, for the most part. Housing costs are somewhat reasonable, but it is a college town, which means that the sheer number of people coming in each year can cause the prices to fluctuate heavily. Additionally, grocery costs are higher than the national average in Durham, which can cause some fluctuation with nursing home care. With that in mind, you'll need to figure out the best way to pay for a nursing home. You should consider a long-term care insurance, which covers the cost of a nursing home, or at least a portion of it. Make sure you look into a policy well before you make the decision to move your loved one to the nursing home because some of them have time restrictions on them. If insurance is not an option, you can also look into Medicare and Medicaid, but they have their own set of restrictions, so it's better to start early and prepare ahead of time.

Deciding that a nursing home is the next step for a loved one is not an easy choice to make. Begin your search by researching nursing homes online. Be prepared to ask questions about the facility and how it treats its residents. You must be comfortable with the facility, and so should your loved one. Be sure that you choose a place that meets all of your requirements, and that includes outdoor activities for its residents. Durham has scenic nature views, historical sites to see, and plenty of things for people to do, so a good nursing home should offer a variety of activities.