Picking the right nursing home facility

It’s hard enough to decide to place a loved one into a nursing home. Harder still, is finding the right facility to trust with the care of a member of your family. The nursing home you place your loved ones in will have a significant impact on their quality of life and sense of dignity. There are a number of options to consider when choosing a facility, and it is essential to investigate locations thoroughly before placing your family members there.

First: Figure out your loved one’s needs

There are more than 16,000 nursing homes in the U.S., with many cities having several within driving distance of one another. It can be a daunting task to find the right nursing home, but the best place to start will always be determining the care your family member will require. Then, you can visit local facilities and make sure the nursing home will be able to meet those needs. Making a checklist of your loved one’s conditions and comparing that to the services each facility offers can begin the process of narrowing down your choices.

Next: Go visit the location and ask questions

Contact the facilities you plan to visit and make an appointment to tour them. Be sure to bring your loved one’s health information to compare their needs to the facility’s services. Be sure to ask questions of the nurses in charge regarding any concerns you may have, and take notice of the cleanliness of the facility and of the residents’ well being. Additionally, take note of the personal care each resident receives and the relationship between the staff and the residents. It is very important to consider whether the facility can handle the specific needs of your family member.

Finally: Make sure to research the facility

There are a number of resources to evaluate the quality of a nursing home facility that are readily available and free of charge. The Federal government has a rating system of nursing homes available on the Medicare website, administered by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This agency is responsible for inspecting and certifying nursing homes and has free reports online to investigate the quality of a facility you are considering. A rating system of one to five stars gives you a quick way to narrow down your search and ensure the highest quality facility for your family.

Finally, there are rankings conducted by private groups, such as U.S. News and World Report that have a ranking system of the best nursing homes in the country. The most important thing is to find out as much information as you can about the facility you are considering before placing your loved ones in their care.