Tuesday, February 26, 2013

How to Choose the Right Nursing Home

Choosing the right nursing home for a loved one can be a complicated process.  There is a lot more that goes into selecting the right facility than just proximity and price.  Several other factors must be considered before making a commitment to any one single nursing home.  Here are some tips to help you select the right nursing home.

1. Take a look at how the staff treats current residents.  If the staff appears friendly and approachable, then this might be a facility to consider.

2. Are the staff members well-trained, and can take care of your loved one in the event of an emergency?

3. Are there nurses available around the clock?  This is important as emergencies can occur at any time, and it is very important that your loved one is in the right hands.

4. Make a call and speak with administrators before visiting a facility.

5.  Do your research.  Check out sites like Local-Nursing-Homes.com and see that people are saying about each potential nursing home.  What is the federal rating?  What are residents saying about the home?  These are all things to consider.

6. Cleanliness is important.  You want your elderly loved ones staying in a clean room, being bathed regularly by the staff.

7. Make sure the ratio of staff to residents acceptable.  You don’t want to choose a facility where the residents far outnumber the staff.  A small staff may not be able to care for each of their residents properly.

Remember to check out each facility in person.  There are certain things that you can’t find out from reading about a home online, or speaking on the phone.  Make the effort to evaluate a facility in person.