Finding a Nursing Home for Your Parents

Finding a nursing home for your parents may be one of the most challenging tasks you ever face. You want to make sure your parents receive the best care, and will be happy in their new living arrangement. By taking some important things into account, you can find the best option for everyone involved.

When it becomes clear that a parent can't take care of him or herself anymore, they may need assistance with even the most mundane daily activities. At first, you may feel you want to care for your mom or dad yourself. This may work for a while, but taking care of another person can be a full-time job, especially if that person has any medical conditions. It can quickly become too much for you to do on your own.

If this is the case, it may be time to look for a nursing home for your parent. Consider consulting with a professional geriatric care manager. They'll help you evaluate your situation, and will get you on the right track to finding the best care for your mom or dad. By finding a nursing home, you're not only expanding the care options for them, you're also freeing yourself up to care for your own family to the best of your ability, which is what your parents would want for you.

If a professional geriatric care manager is not available in your area to help you, there are specific things to evaluate that will help you decide whether your parent would benefit from moving into a nursing home. What is their mobility like? Can they get around on their own, without assistance? What about meals? Can your mom or dad prepare their own meals? Can they manage their own medications? The answers to these and other questions of basic senior care needs will tell you whether your mom or dad can continue to live on their own, or if they would benefit from the full-time care they would get in a nursing home.

When choosing a nursing home, be sure to visit several. Take tours of the facilities, and ask questions about the kind of care residents receive. Make sure they're able and willing to handle any special needs your parent may have. Find out how many doctors, nurses, and volunteers are available at any given time. Is it enough to handle the number of residents in the home? Also ask whether the facility performs background checks on its employees. Talk to residents and their family members, and ask if they're properly cared for. Listening to their impressions of the facility is one of the best ways to get acquainted with the true nature of the place.

After you've moved your parent into a nursing home, they'll still need your support. Call them frequently, and visit as often as possible. You can make their space feel more like home by adding personal touches. Bring their sheets and pillows from home, and put framed family photos around the room.

At the same time that you want to find the best care available for your mom or dad, you may also feel some guilt at sending them to live in a home rather than caring for them yourself.