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Selecting a Nursing Home

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Many people find nursing homes depressing. It is important that the person being moved into the nursing home is helped with the transition. You can obtain recommendations for nursing homes from your physician, family, friends, or neighbors in your community. Visit many nursing homes before making a selection to get a good sense of what the facility is like and how they treat their residents.

Call your local office of consumer affairs and the health department for the state in which you reside to obtain information on the quality of nursing homes in your area.

The following are a list of suggested things you should look for in choosing a nursing home:

• What is the availability of a room? Is there a waiting list?
• What is the atmosphere like in the facility?
• Does the nursing home appear to be clean and odor free?
• Are the rooms nice enough for your loved one to live in?
• Does the facility appear to be well maintained?
• Do the residents appear to be comfortable and well cared for?
• Do the residents appear to be treated with respect?
• What is the attitude of the staff? Do they appear to be pleasant and professional?
• What type of food do they serve their residents?
• Do they offer some type of recreation for their residents?
• How far is the facility from the nearest hospital?
• What is the cost of the basic services?
• What additional services are offered to the residents and what is the cost?
• What type of medical coverage is provided? Are they Medicare or Medicaid approved?
• What is the ratio of nurses and nurse’s aides to residents?
• Can residents see their personal physician?
• Does the facility appear to have security measures in place? Are there wander guards in place to keep residents from wandering away?
• Do they meet state and local licensing requirements?

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