AGING POPULATION MOVING TO NURSING HOMES

A family's decision to turn primary care of a loved one over to a nursing home can be devastating, but it's a decision more and more families are making as the nation's elderly population grows and eligible adults enter the workplace.

Nearly two dozen nursing homes operate in Cape Girardeau County, the bulk of them in Cape Girardeau. Most have expanded their buildings and services in recent years to offer a healthy, secure home where they can provide holistic care to patients.

"People we see now have more complex needs than they did in the past," said Janice Unger, administrator at The Lutheran Home. "We want to provide the social and medical services combined they need because it gives peace of mind for the family members."

Number of elderly rising

According to the Missouri Department of Health, there were more than 742,000 elderly Missouri residents in 1996. More than 13 percent of the county's population was older than 65 in 1990 and 1996, but in the same time period, the number of elderly increased from 8,520 in 1990 to 9,023 in 1996.

The rising elderly population has meant an increased demand for services as families have reached the point they can no longer adequately care for their relatives. In addition, nursing homes assume care formerly provided during lengthy hospital stays.

The result has been a demand for services that has outpaced nursing home availability.

Waiting lists

"You can't just call and say I need a bed, can I bring my mom in today,'" said Debby Evans, director of nursing at Fountainbleau Lodge. "For most nursing homes, the waiting lists are tremendous."

Once considered a last resort for many families, people now appear to have more confidence in nursing homes. The improved image has resulted, in part, from increased scrutiny of skilled care facilities by the public and regulatory agencies.

State and federal agents require health and financial reports from nursing home administrators periodically, and inspections -- both scheduled and unannounced -- occur regularly

"We're a very regulated industry, but they're meant for the betterment of the patient," said Janice Unger, administrator at The Lutheran Home. "Some of the paperwork takes away from the job, but those regulations dealing with patient care I have no problem with at all."

The scope of services provided by nursing homes have evolved with the increased needs of patients. In addition to administering medicines and developing recreational activities, most area nursing homes also provide a variety of therapies designed to increase the independence of residents,

Independent living

Elderly residents who are physically able may choose to live independently in a variety of self-sufficient care units operated in the region. The units are staffed by nursing aides who provide the daily assistance residents need while allowing them to enjoy the independence they want.

Nursing homes, including The Lutheran Home, also are beginning to offer services for older people who live with family members who work. Unger said she expects to see more elderly day-care centers develop as the elderly population grows.

"I think the day care could be utilized more," she said. "It provides peace of mind for family members, and it's a really good respite program for caregivers, too."

AGING POPULATION

* The elderly population of Missouri was more than 742,000 in 1996.

* More than 13 percent of Cape Girardeau County was older than 65 in 1990 and 1996.

* In that same time period, the number of elderly increased from 8,520 in 1990 to 9,023 in 1996.