Once a family decides to go for a nursing home for a loved one, the first thing that comes into their mind is how well their parent or relative will be treated. Choosing a nursing home can be difficult, especially if it’s your first time around. In this article, we’re going to give you five tips that should help you find a great nursing home.
Seek Recommendations
Recommendations and word of mouth are two of the best ways to find a good nursing home. You should ask people around you if they can recommend a good nursing home. Ask relatives, doctors, health administrators or social workers for recommendations as well. Scour the web and look for reviews of nursing homes in your area.
Visit Facilities
Visiting facilities is the only way to truly get a sense of how a nursing home is run. All the administrators should have the proper credentials and certifications. In many cases, facility managers will be required to have an MHA degree, even if it’s an online MHA degree. Make sure that you ask for their qualifications, and also make sure that the facility is in compliance with state regulations, that the facility meets basic security requirements and has a clear emergency evacuation plan and fire safety strategy in place.
Choose a Nursing Home that is Convenient
Keep in mind that you’ll have to set time aside to visit your relatives, and for this reason you should choose a facility that is convenient for the both of you. Choose a facility that is close to home and also check their visit schedule. Some facilities have more flexible visiting hours than others, so make sure you choose a facility with flexible hours that will allow you to visit your relatives as much as you can. Also, make sure that you’ll be able to enjoy privacy during your visits.
Check the Staff
How well does the staff treat patients? Do they seem content with their work? Do they seem to have a personal relationship with clients or simply going through the motions? Are they even smiling? This might seem like small details, but a friendly staff can make all the difference for someone living in a nursing home. Remember that they’ll have to deal with the staff 24/7 and the last thing you want is to deal with an unfriendly, or even worst, abusive staff.
Also, the staff should be trained to face specific issues facing residents. Is the staff trained to deal with patients suffering from dementia or other mental illnesses? How often do residents get medical attention? How does the facility address specific nutrition needs of patients? What is the plan of action if the state of a patient improves or deteriorates? These are all things that you have to take into consideration before choosing a facility.
Conclusion
All these tips should help you find a great nursing home for a loved one or relative. Make sure that the staff is qualified and has the proper credentials, make sure that employees treat residents with care and don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations. Also, remember to choose a facility that will be convenient for both of you and has flexible visiting hours for your convenience.
The post How to Choose the Right Nursing Home appeared first on Just Naturally Healthy.
from Just Naturally Healthy http://ift.tt/2jDfECs
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment