If you have a loved one who is in need of more care than you can give them at home, the task of finding a proper facility can be daunting. We hear every day about the abuse of elderly people and, sadly, many of these stories come from nursing homes – the very people to whom we entrust their care.
A nursing home is only as good as the family who takes you there. The family must be involved to ensure the loved one receives all the care that he or she needs. You have to be vigilant; and don’t just visit one or two facilities – check out several in the area in which you live. All nursing homes are not created equal.
So what are some things you should investigate when looking for care for an elderly family member?
- Visit the facilities at odd times. Drop in overnight and on holidays. Make sure that the people working there are getting the job done the way it is supposed to be done, and that patients are well-cared for.
- Make sure that the patient-to-staff ratio is what it should be and is adequate, particularly during overnight hours.
- Make sure that bed linens are changed often so that your loved one doesn’t lie in their own waste. If the patient is bed-bound, staff should be moving them and changing their position in the bed so that bed sores don’t develop.
- Make sure that medications are given on time, and that meals are nutritional and prepared as ordered by their doctor if there are dietary restrictions.
Be vigilant in your search for the proper nursing home and in monitoring the goings-on once you have placed your loved one there.
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