By Scott Petersen
Many of my older friends and neighbors lament, “What happened? This age thing has slipped up on me.” Aging in Atlanta does offer some resources and options.
Located in Grant Park is the AG Rhodes Nursing home. For those who need skilled nursing care, it offers a high quality of care. It is part of the Wesley Woods system.
The basic cost of care is about $6,000 per month, or $72,000 per year. Physical therapy is extra, as is other special items; even bedding has an extra cost. This well established facility is very well run, clean, helpful, and friendly. It is located on Boulevard just south of I-20.
Personal care homes are located in many areas of our city. Lenox Road just south of the Lenox mall has several. The cost is about $5,000 per month. The services offered in personal care homes are much more limited but the scope has shifted as more and more complex patients are being managed in the personal care home setting.
Getting old is expensive and there are other options. Care groups and shared housing options offer really good care at a fraction of the cost. But they require planning and agreed guidelines. How do they work? You find a group of aging friends and hire a team to help take care of the group. Lower housing costs by sharing an apartment or converting a home to meet reduced mobility needs. In a housing downturn a lot of homes are very affordable and conversion is not too expensive. You can manage care costs by reducing the middleman. This takes foresight and a close group of members but this can offer great care at reduced costs.
Overseas rehab is a very affordable option and great care is available at a fraction of the cost. For example in Quito, Ecuador a full service nursing home bed is $1,500 per month with physical therapy and doctor’s visits. Poland has great care at the $2,500 price point.
Staying at home is always an option and it can be done with some help. With some support folks with fairly major medical needs can return home.
The hospital is an institution and as such they favor the other institutions. So often people and patients are pushed out the hospital door to the nursing home.
In East Atlanta Village, Jeff Whitehouse runs Home Watch Care Givers. His office is in the old library building. Home Watch with nursing support can really help out. Many times the problems of aging are short-term, but people just take longer to get better. Home Watch caregivers might be able to help cover that period of care. This is not a complete list of all options but an overview. If you have any questions, drop me a line at nursescottp@gmail.com.
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