| Nursing homes have been in existence for as | | | | an appropriate facility for your loved one, |
| long as I can remember. A nursing home is | | | | but that really is not enough. You must |
| quite different from a hospital. It is a | | | | visit a nursing home for first hand |
| residence that provides accommodation, meals, | | | | information, before making the final choice. |
| nursing care, medical and rehabilitative | | | | It is better to visit a facility you are |
| services and protective supervision to its | | | | contemplating more than once; at different |
| residents. While someone coming from a | | | | times of the day and on different days of the |
| hospital stay may require the services of | | | | week. Each time you are there on a visit, |
| many long-term care professionals such as | | | | take note of what you hear and don't hear. |
| nurses, therapists and social workers, a | | | | Is it silent? Is there activity? How clean |
| nursing home is not a hospital setting. The | | | | does it look? Are the residents dressed |
| goal of a nursing home is to help people | | | | appropriately for the season? Most |
| maintain as much of their independent | | | | importantly, find out what the ratio of |
| functioning as possible in a supportive | | | | nurses to residents is and what is the staff |
| environment.With the love and cohesion that | | | | turnover rate?You should assess how |
| is always found in family living, moving a | | | | enthusiastic the staff are about their work |
| loved family member to a nursing home could | | | | and how they treat the residents. In moving |
| be a real hard decision to make. However, | | | | a family member to a nursing home, you want |
| there are times when this seems inevitable. | | | | adequate care and attention given to them and |
| The US Department of Health and human | | | | not just a 'warehouse-like' arrangement. The |
| Services reports that more than 1.5 million | | | | facility should make the residents feel cared |
| of the country's population is found in one | | | | for. Don't be fooled by the decoration and |
| nursing home or the other, and over 90% of | | | | beauty of a nursing home. Even the most |
| this amount are already over 65 years of age | | | | expensively decorated facility can have |
| and requires round the clock | | | | serious deficiencies in their caring |
| supervision.However, when you need to get a | | | | abilities.Another item to take care of when |
| nursing home, you and your loved one will be | | | | making inquiries about a nursing home is the |
| happier if you make the right choice. The | | | | food. To get first hand information, it is |
| best place to start your research for a good | | | | better to visit the facility during meal |
| nursing home is to try to get the state | | | | times. Observe the food which is being |
| agency's inspection report on your preferred | | | | served and the care with which the residents |
| nursing home. If you don't have any nursing | | | | are being served. This would be an easy way |
| home in mind yet, you could get ideas from | | | | to learn if the staff treat the residents |
| several places. The discharge planner or | | | | with care and respect that they deserve or if |
| social workers of your local hospital, your | | | | the employees appear rushed or annoyed by |
| physician, area agencies or aging friends are | | | | those with special needs.Hearing from |
| all means for gathering information about | | | | residents of the facility would also help. |
| nursing homes.Nursing homes are usually | | | | Although, not every resident will have the |
| inspected regularly by a state agency in | | | | ability to carry on a conversation with you, |
| charge of such affairs. These inspections | | | | often times those who enjoy social |
| are normally comprehensive; everything from | | | | interaction will be more than willing to tell |
| the dietary needs to the medical care of | | | | you about life in the home. From what they |
| residents is examined. The inspection | | | | say, if you get the impression that the |
| reports are normally made available to the | | | | residents feel safe, cared for and contented |
| public. They could also be available online | | | | with the staff and services of the facility, |
| in some states. Regardless of how beautiful | | | | it might well be a good match for your loved |
| a nursing home facility may be, do not place | | | | one.Finally, other factors such as location, |
| a loved one until you have studied their | | | | cost, size, religious and cultural |
| state inspection reportsThe reports you will | | | | preferences, and accommodation for special |
| be a good starting point from which to select | | | | care need to be considered. |