With so many options, selecting a long term care provider can seem overwhelming. The best place to start is determining what type or level of services you or your loved one need. If medical services are required, medical professionals such as your doctor, the hospital social worker or discharge planner will likely be involved in helping you make the choice of what type of facility is needed.

After you know what type of facility and what level of care you need, the way you intend to pay for long-term care services may affect your options. As is true with most medical services, individuals who have private insurance plans that cover the widest range of options or a personal investment plan for funding care will have the greatest flexibility and range of choice in selecting care.

If you are relying on public funding, such as the Medicaid program, additional information will have to be taken into consideration, such as which facilities in your area have Medicaid-certified beds available at the time you are seeking care. Admissions coordinators at the facilities your medical care team recommends can be of great help to you in understanding your payment options.

Finally, when you have narrowed your choices down to a few options, it is important to visit, observe and ask questions.

The Health Care Association also publishes an HCAM Fast Facts consumer checklist for selecting a nursing home that you may find helpful in visiting prospective care options.