In some cases, there is a social worker or a nurse on staff. Most have a large dining room and will provide three meals a day for residents. Some assisted living facilities are available on a monthly rental basis. If your family would like an outside opinion about the need for a nursing home, a professional assessment may be enlightening. The team should sit down and discuss their findings and recommendations with the client and any family members the client wishes to include.
Many hospitals have geriatric assessment teams, so do many home health agencies.
There are 670 of these agencies across the country to coordinate services and programs for persons age 60 and older. These agencies receive funding from federal, state and county governments and make services available on a sliding-fee scale. Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical Center, August, 1994.