Deciding to put a loved one in a nursing home is always a difficult decision. Rarely does an elderly loved one ever want to leave their home at such an age to live in a nursing home. Make the process as painless as possible by putting due diligence into choosing a retirement home that best suits your parents or grandparents. Here are a few things to keep in mind while shopping around.
Check Ratings and Reviews
The first places to check to see if a nursing home is reputable are Google and Facebook reviews. Here you’ll typically find a large sum of reviews that will give you a rounded idea of experiences others have had with the nursing home in question.
Another place to find reviews would be through Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare feature. Here you’ll find a plethora of retirement homes rated using 18-point criteria.
Consult With the Local Ombudsmen
Ombudsmen are officials that investigate businesses as well as the government when complaints are made. Due to government-mandated programs, ombudsmen are obliged to regularly check up on nursing homes. As such, these ombudsmen are extremely knowledgeable in regards to the goings of retirement homes.
Ask them a list of complaints they’ve received from homes you’re looking at and their suggestion on which home might be best for your loved one.
Make A Visit
The most important step in choosing a nursing home is to visit the facility. Bring your loved one and be sure to talk to residents, employees, and visiting doctors about the retirement home. Take notes on the meals served, cleanliness, staff and resident demeanor, and activity schedule.
If a problem should arise at a home, get in touch with a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney at the Gerling Law Firm with locations in Evansville, Louisville, Indianapolis, and Owensboro.
