Placing someone you love in a nursing facility is never easy, but it’s often the best choice to ensure their health, happiness and safety. Once the decision has been made, finding the right nursing home becomes critical.
To help you select the right residence for your loved one, we’ve compiled five nursing home factors to consider.
Make sure the nursing home’s location is convenient.
Many factors are involved in choosing the right nursing home, but none are more important than its location. The most effective way to prevent nursing home negligence or nursing home abuse is to ensure loved ones are visited frequently. Of course, it’s much easier to visit an elderly patient if the nursing home is close to friends and family.
Visit the residence and examine your surroundings.
The best way to know if a nursing home is the right fit for your loved one is by stopping by for a visit. While you’re there, take a tour and make observations — being on the lookout to see how many residents are left unattended in the hallways, if there are any unusual odors, what the quality of food looks like and how the temperature feels. You should also check for the number of staff members currently on site and if there are pleasant interactions among staff members and residents.
Ask the right questions about care.
While at the nursing home, it’s important that you speak up and ask the right questions. For example, you’ll want to inquire as to how medications are distributed, what efforts are made to provide medication on time and if the site is able to meet necessary meal preferences. If you can, it’s also a smart idea to contact family members who have loved ones in the facility. This will provide you with an unbiased review of the overall care and services.
Learn about the nursing home’s employees.
When it comes to the people helping your loved one each day, you expect the highest level of care. At some point in your visit, be sure to ask about the nurse-to-patient ratio, the turnover of staff and if there are any temporary nurses or staff member that are hired. You’ll also want to see if the home performs background checks of employees providing hands-on care. These questions will give you an indication of the quality of attention your loved one will receive.
Check if it meets your loved one’s needs.
Of course, you want to make sure your loved one will feel comfortable and at home in this new residence. To decide whether the facility can meet your loved one’s preferences, ask what’s important to them: such as religious services, volunteer programs, entertainment opportunities and other activities. It’s also important to discuss your loved one’s physical, mental, emotional and medical needs with the staff to ensure that they can provide the appropriate care.
Before making your final decision, make it a priority to review state inspection reports. The U.S. Center for Medicare will be able to provide ratings on the facilities, as well as reports of adverse events.
Still wondering how to pick the right nursing home?
Deciding how to choose the right nursing home is an important one, but the experts at Brown Chiari are here to help. Visit us online to find out more information about how to select the right facility for your loved one and download a nursing home checklist.