How to Find a Nursing Home

It's a difficult decision but the time has come to make it. Your relative is growing older and becoming less able to care for herself alone, so a nursing home is the next logical step to take. This is a difficult decision for you, the family and the elderly person because not only must your needs be filled; she must be in a place where most of her physical, social, emotional and intellectual comforts will be met. With the rise in the number of elderly people, nursing homes are springing up everywhere. Here are some ways to find the right nursing home for your elderly relative.

Instructions

• 1

  Make sure the nursing home you choose is clean, and that it adheres to a strict schedule to keep it so. There is nothing worse than the smell of urine or feces that permeates many nursing homes. You certainly would not live in one, and there's no way you would feel comfortable leaving your relative there. Ask the staff how often the common areas and the residents' rooms are cleaned.

• 2

  Rely on your first impresses of the staff and whether the nursing home seems hospitable. Does the nursing home seem welcoming? Does the staff go the extra mile to make the residents comfortable? Are there planned activities that will make your relative's time pass quickly and enjoyably? Your first impression is very important. Rely on it.

• 3

  Talk with some residents to see if they like being there. Many will be resigned to being in a nursing home, but you can learn a lot from them about how well they are cared for, how they spend their typical day, and whether they are “turned on” by the activities or simply go with the flow. Find out as much as you can about their lives because your loved one will be with them everyday. If the residents are truly happy, there's a good chance your relative will be, too.

• 4

  Pay attention to the food served to the residents because it is a reflection of how much the nursing home cares about them. Ask to see a typical menu. Better yet, ask to stay for lunch or dinner so you can judge the quality of the food for yourself. If your loved one has special dietary requirements, make sure the nursing home is equipped to accommodate them.

• 5

  See if your loved one can bring in his possessions. One of the most difficult things an older person can do is willingly give up all the things they have spent a lifetime accumulating. Find out if a new resident can furnish his own room because the transition to a nursing home is much easier if the elderly person can be surrounded by familiar things.