Long-term care facilities are popularly known as nursing homes. These homes are licensed in every state and are responsible for their occupants' health and safety. Nursing homes offer a variety of services and vary in quality. You must decide which one is best for your elderly family member.
Nursing Home Placement
An elderly person who cannot do many of the activities needed for daily independent living may be ready for placement in a nursing home. She may not be able to get from a bed and into a chair, take her medications, dress or bathe herself. The most urgent reason for placement is usually incontinence.
The family's goal should be to find a comfortable setting that offers the most independence possible. If your family member has gone to church regularly, the home you choose should offer religious services. Familiar foods are important. A good home should encourage residents to bring favorite items from home, such as a chair or lamp.
Medicare and Medicaid Eligibility
You should always visit the nursing home--or several nursing homes--before you make a final decision about where to place a loved one. First, check to see that the facility is eligible to take Medicare and Medicaid patients. This helps to ensure that they meet at least minimum standards.
What to Look For
The LDHP Medical Review Services Corporation offers a good checklist (see Resources). A registered nurse should always be on-site with sufficient aides to look after all of the patients. A physician needs to check patients on a regular basis and be on call for emergencies.
Since some nursing home patients get confused and wander, be certain the facility has secure areas and that medications are locked away.
Staff training is vital. The best homes will not have constant turnover of personnel. Getting to know staff members who consistently help with daily routines is reassuring to your family member.
A good sign of a quality nursing home is if they allow family to visit at any time without prior arrangement.
Assistance
Care managers are available to families who may not have experience with nursing homes. A son living in another state may hire a care manager living near his mother, for example, to help her get settled in a suitable nursing home.
Ombudsman are staff, or volunteers, who regularly visit nursing homes to check on patient health and safety concerns. They can be helpful in suggesting nursing homes with good records.
Considerations
Placing an elderly family member in a nursing home is a difficult, emotional process for the family member and her family. The more you find out about what is important in deciding on a suitable nursing home, the better the process will be.
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