Moving your loved one into a home can be an extremely hard decision to make. It can be an uncomfortable one too, as both parties may have separate opinions on the matter. This can potentially cause some serious arguments and falling out. If this is the case, choosing the right nursing home is going to be incredibly important. This is both for your loved one and their transition, and for your own peace of mind as well.
There are thousands of nursing homes though, and they really do range when it comes to quality. From the excellent to the just outright awful. Knowing which one to pick can be incredibly hard.
So how do you choose the right one?
Well, you need to find a checklist that works for you. If you haven’t got one already. Here are some things you should be looking for.
First and foremost, you are going to want to check that they have both Medicare and Medicaid certified, as this is crucial. When it comes to learning about Medicare certification, it’s a good idea to acquaint yourself with more about Medicare part B and part A and the surrounding medical coverage it provides, as well as the details specifically pertaining to nursing homes. It is also very important to make sure they are licensed by the relevant state.
Next, you should probably check that they have a bed in a nice spot for your loved one and that if they need any special services, these will be provided at no additional cost, for example, respirators or other medical apparatus.
Another good thing to look at is the distance from the loved ones family and friends. It does not matter how great the home is if it is two hours away. You and your loved one’s friends are going to want to visit after all. We suggest anything up to a 40-minute drive away is the sweet spot.
When it comes to the management of the home, you want one that is going to be upfront about any additional fees. They also need to be highly rated on the medicare.gov. They should always be actively improving and training their staff as well as maintaining a high level of quality care. By law, they have to show you the latest inspection sheet carried out by a federal or state agency, so ask to see it. In addition, the nursing home should have a proper workflow wherein they employ the use of patient whiteboards to track their patient progress and to get the information about the personnel assigned to the patient. The home should also have a great safeguarding policy. They should be able to tell you what they are doing to prevent abuse, be upfront about the issue, and what they would do to deal with an abuse case.
The home should be within a good distance of a hospital, and there should be a thorough plan for transporting patients there, especially in the case of an emergency. The staff should also be kind, professional and polite. They should address the residents by their names and should have a warm manner. Also, they should have enough experience in this field to care for the elderly. For example, during physical therapy for seniors, the nursing home should be adequately prepared to have enough staff and therapists to assist them.
Lastly, the home should be a nice environment. There should be good lighting, the place should be clean and the furniture should be soft, yet sturdy. There should be family quiet areas and the noise level should be pleasant.
If you find a home that can answer all the questions above in a manner that pleases you, you have probably found a great potential new home for your loved one.