Tips on Choosing a Nursing Home
It is important to visit every nursing home that you are considering putting your loved one in. Be very observant when you first walk in by noticing how the facility looks and smells. These simple observations will alert you to the conditions that are part of the resident's daily lives. Make sure to:
-Speak with the Administrator or nursing home director.
-Ask to see all written policies and guidelines of the nursing home.
-Talk with staff, residents' family members, and residents of the nursing home. This will assist you to judge things for yourself and not by the words of others.
-Ask questions such as:
How many complaints have been filed against the nursing home in the past 2 years?
Has the nursing home been cited in the past two years?
While visiting the nursing home, ask the Administrator the following questions:
-What types and how many complaints were filed against this nursing home in the past?
-Can I see the complaints filed against the facility?
-What are your hiring policies?
-Are your nurses' aides certified?
-What is the nursing home's policy about the use of physical and chemical restraints?
-What does the nursing home do to prevent and treat bed pressure sores?
-What are the steps before a resident can be taken to the hospital for an emergency?
-What types of planned activities are offered to keep residents socially/mentally alert and engaging?
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