How to Evaluate a Nursing Home

The decision to place a parent or elder member of your family is a nursing home is often a difficult one to make. However, choosing the right nursing home can be just as emotional. For this reason, it is imperative that you are familiar with the correct methods when the time comes to evaluate a nursing home. Before visiting a nursing home, make calls to a number of them and then make a list of 3 or 4 that you are interested in visiting. Make sure that the homes you visit are Medicare or Medicaid certified, that they are located in an area that is easily accessible to family members, and that they are accepting new residents. Then make a list of the things you will be taking into account when making your evaluation.

Steps

1. 1
   Decide whether you feel that the environment is good enough for your family to live in when evaluating a nursing home. It should be clean, well lit, and smoke free. Make note of the condition of the furniture and safety devices, such as smoke detectors, hand rails, sprinklers, bathroom grab bars. It should also be in a safe area of town and not be easily accessible to anyone off the street.

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2. 2
   Inquire whether the facility staff includes a full-time licensed physician and registered nurses. Are residents required to see the facility doctor or can they see their own?
3. 3
   Ask about the staff members and determine whether background checks are performed on them. When performing an evaluation on a nursing home, check whether members of the staff wear name tags and security badges. Witness for yourself the performance and demeanor of staff members. Do they seem kind and courteous to the residents? You can also determine the character of the staff by making note of how the current residents respond to the staff members when they are approached by them.
4. 4
   Check out the private resident room and determine whether they seem clean and comfortable. Do they have their own televisions, radios, and phones? Can they bring these items from home? Verify closet space and the feeling the room gives you as a whole. Does the room make you feel comfortable or imprisoned?
5. 5
   Establish whether special facilities are available in-house, such as ventilators and physical therapy. If your family member is in need of special services, you should make sure they are easily attainable.
6. 6
   Determine the quality of the food and its nutritional value when visiting potential nursing homes, and ask about the menu and whether residents can pick their meals. Does the facility have a dining area where residents can eat in a social environment, or are they confined to their rooms?
7. 7
   Observe whether the current residents seem happy to you. Confirm also if they are dressed appropriately, clean, and taken care of. Ask about activities and recreation on hand and whether outings are offered.
8. 8
   Learn about visiting hours. Are there specific times and days that family members are restricted to, or can you visit whenever you desire?

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