If you’re the primary caregiver for an aging loved one, you may be considering placing them in a nursing home. The decision is difficult and finding the right facility is even harder. It’s important to consider many factors, but here are some things to look for when evaluating facilities:
Ask Questions
- Ask questions of the nursing home staff.
- Ask questions of the nursing home residents.
- Ask questions of the family members of other residents.
- Ask questions of the family members of the staff, including those in management positions.
Does the facility use patient-centered care?
In patient-centered care, the focus is on respecting your loved one and their preferences. This approach is holistic, meaning that it focuses on both physical and mental health issues. It’s also goal-oriented, which means that your loved one will be given a plan of care that outlines what they should expect from their stay at the nursing home.
If you’re concerned about how well your loved one will adjust to life in a nursing home facility, consider choosing a facility that uses patient-centered care philosophy. This type of model can help reduce hospital readmissions by providing patients with better support services, increased communication with family members and others close to them (like friends), and more personalized treatment plans tailored specifically for each individual resident’s needs.
Review the staff’s qualifications.
It is important to review the qualifications of the nursing home’s staff, especially nurses. Ask about their experience and education level, as well as how many hours of training they receive on a yearly basis. If a nursing home has an excellent healthcare team, you can expect your loved one to receive quality care from them.
In addition to reviewing the qualifications of employees at a specific nursing home, it is also helpful to ask about the management team. What are their credentials? How long have they been working in this industry? Do they possess any certifications that indicate their knowledge base or expertise?
It’s also important to consider turnover rates among staff members in order for your loved one’s care needs will be met by people who know him or her well enough over time. You may want to contact other families who have had loved ones stay at this particular facility before making final decisions regarding which facility feels right for him or her
Evaluate the home’s environment.
Evaluate the home’s environment. The first thing you should do when visiting a nursing home is evaluate its physical environment. Is it clean and well-maintained? Are the staff friendly, respectful, helpful and kind to residents? Do residents seem to be treated with respect? Are residents able to communicate with each other, or is there a language barrier that might cause them anxiety? Is the facility safe for your loved one?
If you don’t feel comfortable or confident about any of these aspects of the nursing home’s environment, keep looking until you find one that does meet all of your needs.
Are residents engaged in activities that are important to them?
The staff should be able to answer your questions about what activities are available at the home and how they support residents in their daily activities. For example, do they support residents with dementia by providing specific activities, such as art classes or singing sessions?
The team should also be able to describe how the home helps residents maintain their mental health. This is important because some research has shown that people who live in nursing homes may have worse mental health than those living elsewhere. If you feel that your loved one’s overall wellbeing is being affected by living in a nursing home, you should bring this up with the home’s management team early on in your discussions so that they can take steps to address any issues relating to this matter as soon as possible.
Are residents safe?
Are residents safe?
To find out, you can check the home’s inspection reports online. You can ask management about their policies for preventing falls and infections, as well as abuse and malnutrition. Make sure they have clear procedures in place to investigate any complaints that residents or family members may have about these issues.
What does the nursing home cost?
What does it cost to live in a nursing home?
The answer to that question depends on several factors, including the type of care needed. Residents may pay either all or none of the costs; they may also be covered by government subsidies or family members’ contribution toward the cost of care. In some cases, residents share the cost with other residents through a special fund set up by their families.
What is included in these expenses? Room and board are often included as part of room-and-board arrangements between residents and staff members; these arrangements range from full medical support (at additional cost) to basic food and shelter only. Personal care services include activities like help with bathing or dressing, medication administration, assistance with eating meals—and even just someone sitting down for coffee together every morning! Other services might include transportation services such as taxi cab rides back home after short hospital stays, or even housecleaning if you need help preparing meals but don’t want anyone cooking them for you at home
The decision about where to place a loved one for long-term care is difficult, and finding the right fit is even harder.
The decision about where to place a loved one for long-term care is difficult, and finding the right fit is even harder.
It’s important to consider:
- Safety and comfort – Your loved one should be safe, comfortable and well cared for at all times. The staff should have proper training in handling dementia patients, among other things. You also want to make sure that the facility has proper equipment (such as a wheelchair or walker) on hand if your parent needs it while in residence there.
- Staff – As you look at nursing homes, ask yourself if you feel comfortable with the staff members who will be caring for your parent every day—and whether they will take good care of him or her over time. If possible, visit different facilities so that you can get a sense of how each one operates and talks about its services online before making an appointment with someone from each location personally!
Conclusion
The decision about where to place a loved one for long-term care is difficult, and finding the right fit is even harder. There are many factors to consider when choosing a nursing home for your loved one. We hope that this article has helped provide some insight into what makes a good nursing home and how you can find one in your area.
