Senior Care Provision in Virginia

Growing old is a reality that will affect everyone, we all grow old, and we will most likely witness our parents aging before dealing with our own old age. The information here is aimed at helping you understand how nursing care is provided in Virginia, what the costs for long-term nursing care are, and how you ensure you access quality senior care. Government legislation governs various national and local senior care agencies in the administration of elderly health care. This means there are policies that all nursing and care facilities in Virginia state are required to have in place to cover the rights of their residents.  Virginia, much like the rest of the world, can expect to experience a dramatic increase in elderly population, as it is expected that the number of Virginians aged 60 and over will more than double over the next two decades.

As a result of this demographic shift, the 2006 Virginia General Assembly required nursing homes to report how this aging of the population has an impact on their ability to provide services and to describe how they intend to act on this. The subsequent reports reflected concern about the growth of Virginia's older population, with many reporting specific and valuable services to today's seniors. Therefore it is important that you should be well informed on the specifics of nursing homes in the Virginia area.

There are more than 265 skilled nursing facilities in Virginia, and all but about a dozen of these are certified for federal subsidy from Medicare and Medicaid. The Virginia Department of Health Office of Licensure and Certification states that nursing homes have certain design and construction standards that need to be met. So you can be sure that nursing homes throughout Virginia are well designed and incorporated to meet your needs.

However, even though full-time nursing care in a skilled nursing facility may be the type of senior care you are considering, there are other alternatives worth exploring that can enhance the quality of life of an elderly person without requiring institutional care. 80% of older Virginians own their own home and home care can be a valuable means by which the elderly retain independence and remain in their familiar surrounding despite needing senior care assistance. If a nursing home placement is required, you should enter into an admissions agreement (otherwise known as a financial agreement, admission contract, or entrance contract), which sets out the legal arrangement between the nursing home and the resident. Nursing homes charge a set daily rate for their services, although these can vary significantly from home to home.

The Virginia Department of Health (www.vdh.state.va.us) provides a comprehensive guide to nursing care and senior care in the state. The consumer guide on their web site will help you to understand the processes and legislation governing seniors’ admission to a nursing home, paying for nursing care and how to select the appropriate type of senior care. The Virginia Department for the Aging can also be useful in finding informations and other services you need in relation to being in control of your future.

An Advance Medical Directive enables adults to protect their health care wishes by appointing a health care agent to act on their behalf should they become unable to do so. That person has decision-making priority over any other individuals who could, by law, make health care decisions for you. More information can be found in the Code of Virginia portion of the Virginia General Assembly Home Page.

The Code of Virginia also includes information that can be used for an Advance Medical Directive in Virginia. These forms can be completed without the assistance of a lawyer, however it is advisable that you consult one to ensure that you complete the form correctly. For more information on an Advance Medical Directive, visit the Virginia Department for the Aging. As a Virginian you have a right to equal access to quality care, and state regulations prohibit any discrimination in admissions. Specifically a nursing home should not discriminate against an individual entitled to Medicaid. Medical need plays a significant part in the admission process.

All nursing homes in Virginia are regulated by the Virginia Department of Health, and you can find a Medicaid or Medicare-certified nursing home by visiting Nursing Home Comparison Web site's. Alternatively, you can find privately funded nursing homes by contacting the Office of Licensure and Certification at the Virginia Department of Health. 

Nursing homes are inspected every 2 years under state licensure and on an average of every 12 months under Medicare/Medicaid certification, and this is carried out by the Virginia Department of Health.

The Virginia Department for the Aging provides you access to programs such as “Virginia Easy Access”, which enables you to search for specific services anywhere in Virginia and works in conjunction with the Virginia-Navigator, with a list of over 21,000 programs and services throughout the Commonwealth. Furthermore, you can find out about “No Wrong Door”, which is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s approach to coordinate state and local long term care planning efforts and to create a web portal to act as a one stop resource for Virginians.