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Choosing a nursing home is one of the most crucial, and likely one of the most difficult, decisions that you will have to make. Whether it is for you or someone you love, the decision is complicated by the fact that one can end up spending an extensive amount of time in a nursing home. It is to your advantage, therefore, to seek out as much information as possible before choosing one. This article will offer a few helpful hints on what to look for and who to call.
Initially, realize that the decision is one which cannot be made by you alone. Contact other family members with whom you have a good relationship. It is also helpful, if circumstances permit, to involve the person's physician and nurse. Above all, respect the wishes of the person who will be placed in the home. Selections of a home sometimes must be made on short notice. Perhaps the person has suffered an acute injury that requires immediate care. It is to your advantage, therefore, to plan ahead and explore all available options prior to a crisis setting in.
Upon deciding that a nursing home is the best option, the initial step is to find homes that are close to you. With the amount of time that you may be visiting someone, you will not want to be traveling great distances, if possible. Make a list of the homes closest to you. Frequent visits to the home will make the transition for the new resident vastly more palatable.
Once you have a list, contact your local Office on Aging. See if they can recommend any of the homes which you have selected. Then, ask the office how you can get referred to your local Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman is one of the best sources of information on nursing homes available. Although they cannot recommend one home over another, it is their job to go into various nursing homes and report on the quality of life inside each of them. They investigate complaints and advocate for residents. The ombudsman can also give you a list of the complaints that have been lodged against the institution recently, who lodged them, and what the outcome of any resulting investigation was.
After contacting the ombudsman, you should consult hospital discharge planners or volunteer groups that work with the elderly or ill. Ask them who they can recommend. If you have a glowing recommendation about one institution, ask them if they would issue the same recommendation.
Take time and contact several nursing homes. Ask to speak to the director. Make sure that the home will accept any insurance or payment plan which may be set up for your patient. As nursing home care is quite expensive (upwards of $150 per day in some cases), this is a crucial inquiry. After meeting with the director, see if you can speak with some of the staff. Ask how important they feel the residents are, and observe the common areas and the general quality of life in the home.
Although it is a tough choice, making it with the help of this information will be much easier.
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