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The Basics of Good Nursing Home Care
As parents age, often a family has to make the difficult decision of whether or not to place a loved family member in a nursing home. Finding a good facility with good nursing home care takes a little patience and some work.
You should feel completely satisfied with a facility before you place a family member there. After all, they will be there 24 hours a day, seven days a week usually, so they should benefit from good nursing home care and a facility they will enjoy staying in.
Things to Look for
Probably the first thing you should do is check with local and state agencies and inquire about the facility you are considering. If previous residents have had problems in the facility, hopefully there will be official records of complaints against the facility. However, even if there are complaints, it is quite possible that the facility has cleaned up their act and is a great home offer great nursing home care now.
You should tour the facility at least once before deciding on a home. Take a good look at the residents and get a good feel for the place. If more than a few residents look gaunt or sick beyond what would be considered normal should raise a red flag. Good nursing home care should leave residents healthy and happy overall. There will always be a few sick residents, but the majority should look happy and healthy.
Ask about activities that are offered to the residents. There should be options open to the residents on how they want to spend their days. A good variety of activities every month can help pass the days and should be considered a sign of good nursing home care. Ask how the activities are determined. They should be planned according to what the residents themselves want to do, not just what an administrator thinks they should want to do.
Nursing home care should leave residents healthy and happy. A good home should be clean, hygienic, and cheerful. Any facility that makes you uneasy or is dark and dirty should be avoided. Staff should be concerned about the residents and help keep an eye on their health and well-being. If any facility ever makes you uneasy, do not send your relative there. If you can't imagine living there yourself, why would they want to live there everyday, probably for the rest of their lives?
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