Making the decision to place your relative in a nursing home is not an easy choice. If you are trying to make decisions for your loved one, there are criteria you need to look for, because you want to choose a nursing home that will take care of your family member and protect them. Here are some ways to make your decision easier.
What Should I Look For In a Good Nursing Home?
Before you do anything else, ask your friends, co-workers and neighbors if they know of good nursing homes in your area. Start making a list of reputable homes, because your search can start there. Once you have a list of places to look at, you need to dig deeper.
Many negligence cases happen in nursing homes because the home is understaffed. Your nursing home search can begin with a search of staff to patient ratios. You will want the lowest staff to patient ratio you can find. That’s because the lower the ratio, the more eyes will be on your loved one, and the less opportunity they will have to endure elder abuse or negligent care. If the nursing home is reluctant to discuss staff to patient ratio with you, you need to continue your search.
Ask for a meeting and tour with administrators. You will want to have a look at the nursing home, and check for cleanliness. Ask to see all of the different rooms the facility has to offer. If the administrators seem open and responsive, you can keep them on your list. If they are reluctant to show you around, cross them off.
Many nursing homes have a procedure to address patient or family complaints. Ask what the procedure is. Often, you can report concerns to the nurse supervisor on duty. He or she reports directly to the administrator. The nursing staff should be keeping record of how many times you have an issue, but if you have concerns, keep your own records.
In the end, your nursing home search will lead you to a great place for your relative. You should know that diligent investigation up front may save you a lot of worry later.
Please call us toll free at 866-214-7036 or fill out the contact form on our website. Serving Brunswick, GA and Glynn, Camden, Brantley, Wayne, Ware and McIntosh Counties.