How to choose a safe nursing home
If you must put a loved one in a nursing home, then you need to be sure it will be a safe place. Get advice on how to choose a nursing home.
Having to put a loved one in a nursing home is often an unavoidable task. Nursing homes can provide 24/7 care with medical staff on-site that can handle specific needs that individuals may have as they age. It provides a safe place for a senior to live when he or she can no longer live alone at home. However, for family, there is always a concern that making the move could subject their loved one to nursing home abuse or neglect.
To avoid issues with abuse, a person should take care when choosing a nursing home. It is imperative for a person to make sure he or she does effective research into the options to find a place that will provide good care and keep his or her loved one safe. Here are some things a person should do when hunting for a nursing home.
Stay close to home
One of the most important aspects of a nursing home is its location. AARP suggests keeping the search close by because this will allow loved ones to visit often and stay connected. Being able to regularly drop in at a nursing home will help ensure that the level of care is high and in line with expectations.
If a person has to drive too far to visit the facility, then he or she may not visit often. This leaves room for nursing home abuse and neglect. Residents who have frequent visitors will often be able to avoid such situations because their loved ones are able to watch out for their well-being.
Visit facilities
When choosing a nursing home, it is essential for a person to visit the potential options. A visit can reveal an array of things. It can enable a person to see how the facility operates on a daily basis. It gives insight into staff and lets the person check for warning signs.
A person should make note of the little things, such as housekeeping and the hygiene of residents. These things can be quite telling of the overall level of care at the facility and are often things overlooked by a facility that is trying to impress visitors.
Do research
Every person making the decision about putting a loved one in a nursing home should do proper research into the different facilities. Medicare.gov provides a valuable resource that makes it simple to look into the backgrounds of nursing homes.
Using Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare, a person can get information on ratings, past problems and quality details. It is a reliable source for accurate and complete information, along with references to other information, such as state databases and licensing agency reports.
When it comes to nursing homes, choosing the right one is important to avoid potential problems. Anyone who has a loved one who suffers from nursing home abuse or neglect should contact an attorney, such as Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler, PLLC to discuss their case.