Planning a visit once you’ve narrowed down your list of nursing homes it’s time to plan a visit visiting is key to understanding if a…

Try: Planning a visit once you’ve narrowed down your list of nursing homes it’s time to plan a visit visiting is key to understanding if a home is right for the care recipient as with other senior housing options it’s the people that make the place both the residents and staff in a nursing home you’ll also need to make sure that the medical care is provided correctly things to look for staff how long has the staff been working there how many staff are there on weekdays weekends and evenings do they have time to speak with you or does it feel rushed how would they manage the care recipient’s health condition how are medications and procedures arranged and how do they handle emergencies or accidents such as falls do they appear genuinely interested in you and do you see them interacting warmly with current residents current residents and their families do the residents appear happy or really groggy and overmedicated do they seem clean and well groomed do they seem like people the care recipient would enjoy getting to know how do they respond to you try to observe social gatherings such as meals or other activities if needed are residents getting timely help to eat and with getting to and from the gathering areas if you see a family visiting you can ask them their impressions of the home and how their loved one has been treated ask if there is a family council and if you could attend the facility cleanliness does the facility appear clean do you smell urine or strong deodorizers that may be covering up the smell of urine food what kinds of meals are normally served does it look nutritious and appetizing how are special diets handled what kind of help is available with meals and do they have to be eaten at the same time or in a common area arrangement traditionally nursing homes have been run like a medical facility including a central nursing station and set medication and mealtimes some nursing homes are now moving to a different model with smaller communities and shared areas if this type is available in your area it may have a more homely feel activities what quality of life activities are available for residents are outside activities also arranged as well if the care recipient’s health is good experience with the care recipient’s condition if a care recipient has alzheimer’s for example is there a special care unit or specialized staff and activities how does staff handle behavior problems like agitation or wandering checklists for visiting a nursing home nursing home checklist pdf – detailed list from the u s government that you can print out then write in answers to a series of questions about any facilities you are considering medicare gov nursing home checklist – a comprehensive list of issues to consider while selecting an appropriate facility under categories first impression living area and accommodations moving in contracts finances health personal care services social & recreational staff food licensure & certification carepathways com information references independent living for seniors understanding your choices in retirement communities and homes by joanna saisan and doug russell 2010 available at

Materials: n/a

Categories: Sage, Topic, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: Nursing homes housing alternative care options alternative housing options

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.