Our uncle’s health seems to be failing pretty fast. Although his mind is pretty well intact, and he is able to take care of his basic needs, he isn’t eating right, tires very easily and seems so frail. We don’t want to put him in a nursing home, but there is no one in the family who can take him in. How do we explore the alternatives to nursing homes?

Yours is a good question and a common question. The options other than nursing homes are growing all the time. Here are some interesting statistics put out by Kelly Home Care Services.

	www.k4s.org/kdoa

It is estimated that there are approximately 1.5 million nursing-home residents older than 65.

Assisted-living facilities private apartments with staff to provide some care take care of another 800,000 of the nation’s elderly.

Another 625,000 seniors live in continuing-care retirement communities, which offer all the levels of care people need from independent apartments to nursing care.

Approximately 6 million (80 percent) are cared for in the home with care provided by family members.

Many of those older individuals still living in the community rely on various in-home or community-based services for their independence. The Kansas Department on Aging puts out an excellent resource titled “Explore Your Options.” This helpful guide includes a detailed directory of the services available in each specific area of the state. In fact, there are 11 different “Explore Your Options” guidebooks one for each Area Agency on Aging unit in Kansas.

The guidebook is divided into four parts:

Services and Information That Help You Remain In Your Home

Housing and Long-Term Care

Contact Information and Eligibility Charts

DirectoryInformation and In-Home Services in Your Area

To obtain a free copy of “Explore Your Options,” contact the Area Agency on Aging that serves your community, or you can call the Department on Aging’s toll-free number: (800) 432-3535 to request a copy.