The first step in finding the right nursing home for your loved one is to do your research. Start by asking friends or family members if they know of any good homes in your area. Once you have some basic information on a few homes, (such as names and locations) look them up online. This is a fairly simple step and almost all nursing homes will have their own website with a profile of the facility and what they have to offer for your loved one. You will find the nursing home contact information as well on the company's website. Do a comparison of the top five homes in your location taking notes and making a list of pro's and cons.
Once you have your top three choices narrowed down, call and schedule an appointment with each facility. On your visit the marketing team or Administrator will take you on a tour of the facility and go over in more detail of the type of programs that are offered. Most facilities are now known as rehabilitation facilities, they consider themselves as a short- term facility instead of a long- term care facility. If this subject is brought up during your interview ask about the rehab programs they have. What's their track record for recovery and rehab? How many residents have successfully been sent home? If they have a proven track record and good marks they should have no problem with giving you a percentage ratio of the residents who have returned home after a therapy program. Also, ask about the rehabilitation program details: What does it consist of? After therapy, does your loved one have the option of continuing their progress through other means? The next step is to ask questions and a lot of them even if they seem redundant to ask.
While touring the facility be watchful. Observe what is going on in the facility. These companies run 24 hours a day so keep a look out for any possible signs that may give you that feeling of how things are really ran. Do the employees look neat, clean, friendly? Do they look over worked or stressed out? Try and break away from the pack and maybe speak with a few of the employees in private or if possible ask some of the other residents how they like being there. Ask yourself do the residents look clean and well taken care of? Take note of how the facility itself smells. This will tell how well the housekeeping staff is. Observe meal times to see how the residents are treated. Meal times can be a stressful time in Nursing Homes. Some residents can not feed themselves or cut their food for themselves. Are the employees readily available to assist with their needs? Ask what the staffing ratio is. Depending on your state's guidelines it is typical to have one certified nursing assistant to twelve residents. And one Nurse per floor/hall.
The next thing is to take in how the physical appearance of the facility looks. Does it look run down? If so this might suggest a poor quality of care. How can a facility care for your loved one if they can't take care of the building they live in? How large are the rooms, does the facility offer private rooms,do they offer television,or phone service? These are extra costs you may endure on top of the monthly fees for placing your loved one in the facility. You should also check to see is they provide a t.v. or phone or do you need to bring one in. Does the facility offer laundry services and what are the protocols for incontinent cares? Do you need to provide the underliners or do they? You must always keep in mind that you want the facility to be as close to home in comforts as possible. This is a huge change for your loved one. You'll want to pick a place that they will want to be or at least like.
Probably the most important step to take is to check the state's public health site for the facility you are interested in. The DPH does yearly reviews of every home and list their findings on their website. Here you can find reports of any incidents the facility has had. If the facility has a decent track record and you liked what you saw and heard while on your tour then you found the right place for your loved one. If you got that "I'm not sure about this place" vibe then you should check into another facility until you find the one that's right for you and your loved one. This is not a process to take lightly nor can you rush into it either. Do your research before deciding.
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