Teno said that one solution is to have a so-called medical home, such as a nurse practitioner who reviews all care decisions. "Medical homes help align incentives to provide the right care at the right time for the right person," she said.
She added that families with loved ones in nursing homes can request a "Do not hospitalize" order. That way, the nursing home doesn't automatically send a patient to the hospital. Instead, the nursing home staff consults the family about their loved one's change in health and discusses the risks and benefits of each care option with the family.
More information
Learn more about evaluating caregivers for your loved one from the Alzheimer's Association.
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