Senior Housing: Finding the Right Nursing Home

By James Giles –

Being a full-time caregiver for a family member is stressful. There are an overwhelming amount of appointments, prescription management issues and ongoing issues of scheduling. From time to time it becomes clear that in home or family care giving is not enough. The struggle to find the right nursing home is as overwhelming as the care giving itself. The best way to find the right nursing home for your family member is to visit them in person and have an idea of what you are looking for during the visit.

How Many Nursing Homes Should You Tour?

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The number of nursing homes you should tour depends on the area you live in as well as the comfort level and needs of your family member. Some residents are needing a residential atmosphere while others do well in a community setting. Find the homes in your area that fit your family members’ specific needs.  Try to keep your search radius within reasonable travel area in case of emergency. Tour all the facilities within that radius that meet your family members’ needs.

What Questions Should I ask?

The best questions to ask during a nursing home tour are the ones related to the care and comfort of the residents. The best questions come during the tour itself. Ask about what kind of food is available, what kind of medication management programs are in place, what the normal schedule for each resident is. The schedule is very important to finding the right nursing home for your family member.

What Kind of Tour is the Best?

The best tour of a nursing home is the one that shows all aspects of what that home has to offer. Many nursing homes offer a generic tour for potential residents and their families. It usually consists of a facility walk through that is scheduled during the quiet hours of the afternoon when most residents are resting. Though this shows the nursing home facility it does not always show what type of service is available. Request a tour that occurs shortly after the breakfast hours or lunch hours. Request to see the shower facilities, laundry room facilities and kitchen area. This will ensure that you see the good and the bad. It will also open questions that you may not have thought of before.

Tour the Business Practices of the Nursing Home

Though a tour will show several pros and cons of the nursing home it may not show you potential administrative issues that could become a problem for you or your family member. After touring the nursing homes and narrowing down your choices, you should begin touring their business practices by conducting web searches. Search for the name of the nursing home and any information you can find on past incidents. How the nursing home administration handles issues with their staff and resident issues could be vital to the treatment your family member may receive.

James has worked in the senior care industry for years, and has writing for LivingSenior in his most recent years. LivingSenior is the web’s leading senior living resource, with over 50,000 listings that have unbiased reviews and comments. Users on LivingSenior can get the good and the bad – and make a well informed decision about places that might be a fit for their loved one. Search senior living solutions at LivingSenior today. 

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Senior Housing: Finding the Right Nursing Home
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