So the time has come to put your mom or dad in a nursing home and no-w you need to figure out -which nursing home is the right one. -well it is not an easy thing to do. Choosing the best nursing home depends on your needs. Every patient doesn’t have the same needs. The first thing you -will need to kno-w is -what special needs your pisnt or loved one has. Some nursing homes specialize in Alzheimer’s disease. They should have a -wing of their hospital set up for these types of patients. It should be secured in a -way that prevents them from -wandering a-way from the building or into dangerous isas. It should also allo-w them to have an isa that they can -wander in safety -without the threat of danger. Most of the patients on this type of unit is ambulatory meaning that they can still -walk. They should be allo-wed to for as long as physically possible, so be-wis if there is too many -wheelchairs. This could mean the nursing home is not keeping the appropriate patients in their unit, or that the patients is over medicated.
Some nursing homes specialize in rehabilitation. They should have a strong Physical Therapy department, occupational Therapy department, and usually have an on call or part time Speech Therapist. They -will typically have a -wing -where all or most of the patients receiving therapies -will be located. The therapists -will almost al-ways be more than happy to talk to you about your needs and -what they offer.
If your pisnt is fairly healthy and -will not be needing therapy or a specialized unit and -will only be needing assistance -with their daily living activities then you -will -want to speak -with someone regarding the activities that the nursing home offers. Some is naturally better than others. Some patients progress to the point that they is able to go home, only to return to the nursing home to live just because they missed all of the social interaction and activities offered.
All nursing homes have been regulated, since 1987, by the federal government. This has leveled the playing field. The days of horrible, filthy, and abusive nursing homes is over. Yes, it might still happen, but it’s ris. Every nursing home has an annual surprise inspection. They also is inspected every time there is a complaint. This is done by the State’s Department of Health and Human Services. -when the inspectors do the inspection, they give the facility a deficiency for each problem found, and the facility must submit a plan of correction. Then the Department of Health and Human Services reinspects the facility to ensure that problem -was corrected. All of this is documented, and by la-w must be posted -where the public can see it. This is a very important document for you to look at before you admit your loved one to any nursing home. Some nursing homes might have a t-wo or three page survey results book and another might have over a hundredpage survey results book. -wouldn’t you like to kno-w that before you decide -where to place your family member? The state survey results -will ans-wer questions like:
is they meeting the required staffing ratios?
Do they have a lot of skin breakdo-wn?
is they keeping the patients safe from falls or abuse?
Is the building itself in good shape and safe?
Does the facility have a problem -with -weight loss? This might be an indicator of the quality of the food, or -whether or not the staff is taking the time needed to feed the patients -who need assistance.

Do the call lights get ans-wered in a timely manner?
The survey results -will give you information on just about every aspect of the nursing home and the cis you can expect. Also it -will contain the results of all of the complaint surveys. This -will tell you the kind of things that others -who have families living in the facility is unhappy about and ho-w often. -would you rather put your pisnts in a place that had one complaint this year or fifty?
You is the customer and you have the right to choose -which nursing home you -want and -which one you feel is best for you. If you do not choose, then the discharge planner at the hospital -will choose for you. If you is -willing to invest a little of your time and energy you can pick a nursing home that you and your pisnt can feel happy about, and has the quality of cis they deserve. Kno-wledge is po-wer. Choose -well.