The cost of nursing homes or assistant living is also one of great expense.  Research shows that nursing homes can run up to $168.00 a day.  You may say, “That is what insurance is for.”  Medicare only pays a portion of this leaving the patient sometimes with 70% of the daily cost left owed.   Nursing homes hold the same threats as daycares.  The quality of care in the nursing home industry has increasingly declined over the past decade. A number of recent studies indicate that residents in nursing homes suffer abuse and neglect more and more frequently at the hands of nursing home corporations. In many cases residents have died or have been severely abused as a result of neglect.

According to the National Institutes of Health, of the 35 million Americans age 65 or older, about 2 million suffer from full-blown depression. Another 5 million suffer from less severe forms of the illness. In the same article it list several causes of depression, such as, Loneliness and Reduced sense of Health problems Medications Recent bereavement.  Our program addresses all of these causes on a daily basis. Again, we are not portraying the role of a medical doctor, but do feel that we can reduce some of the causes listed.  The article gives tips of how to help with depression; they are as follows, Invite your loved one out. Schedule regular social activities Plan and prepare healthy meals. Make sure all medications are taken as instructed.   A.P.E. offers all of these to the elderly and much more.  We want to keep our elderly in the community for as long as possible.  Depression as serious as it is can be treated but death cannot.  Abuse in nursing homes is more common than we know. Even with federal regulations in place abuse in nursing homes still occur.  This abuse can often lead to death.