http://www.lifespy.com/2008/how-to-choose-a-nursing-home-for-your-elderly/ analyzing lifestyles Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:43:37 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 http://www.lifespy.com/2008/how-to-choose-a-nursing-home-for-your-elderly/comment-page-1/#comment-256040 Carlotta Katra Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:41:58 +0000 http://www.lifespy.com/?p=3544#comment-256040 Having worked in a nursing home I also recommend that families go visit in the evening when management staff is not there. Walk around and talk to residents. Ask if they are happy there. You have to be careful of who you ask if they are happy there because 60% of people in a nursing home have some level of dementia. Talk to families to see if they are happy and talk to the staff. Is it clean, no or little smell of urine, food good, building well maintained are some of the things you want to look at. A beautiful building doesn't guarantee that your loved one will get good care. I worked at one of the oldest and ugliest buildings but we gave some of the best care. Just looking at their Medicare Report Card or state health inspection isn't a true indicator of the care they give. All nursing homes involve people and these inspections are based on record keeping. The requirements for all the documentation take away from patient care. To find out more about choosing a nursing facility go to www.agingavenues.com. Having worked in a nursing home I also recommend that families go visit in the evening when management staff is not there. Walk around and talk to residents. Ask if they are happy there. You have to be careful of who you ask if they are happy there because 60% of people in a nursing home have some level of dementia. Talk to families to see if they are happy and talk to the staff. Is it clean, no or little smell of urine, food good, building well maintained are some of the things you want to look at. A beautiful building doesn’t guarantee that your loved one will get good care. I worked at one of the oldest and ugliest buildings but we gave some of the best care. Just looking at their Medicare Report Card or state health inspection isn’t a true indicator of the care they give. All nursing homes involve people and these inspections are based on record keeping. The requirements for all the documentation take away from patient care. To find out more about choosing a nursing facility go to http://www.agingavenues.com.

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