How to Find a Nursing Home for a Senior

A skilled nursing facility or nursing home offers help for those who require 24-hour skilled nursing attention. Facilities require registered nurses on-site 24 hours a day and also utilize other professionals such as licensed practical nurses and certified nurse's assistants.

Instructions

• 1

  Expect to pay between $3,500 and $8,000 per month for a stand-alone skilled nursing facility.

• 2

  Know that when seniors enter a continuing care retirement community at the skilled nursing or assisted living level, they will be required to pay a monthly maintenance fee ranging from $1,500 to $3,500 per month.

• 3

  Note that seniors who enter a continuing care retirement community at an independent level may later make a transition to the skilled nursing or assisted living units as their needs change. The monthly maintenance fee covers this and can be looked at as a form of long-term care insurance.

• 4

  Talk to your senior family member's physician or social worker for referrals when choosing a skilled nursing facility.

• 5

  Get in touch with a geriatric care manager for information about skilled nursing facilities in a senior family member's community. Geriatric care managers are often nurses, social workers and psychologists by training, with an expertise in geriatrics. They charge privately for their services.

• 6

  Check out online directories of senior care facilities such as Senior Care Review, Care Guide(415-474-1278) and Senior Alternatives (800-350-0770) for skilled nursing facility listings.

• 7

  Look through your local yellow pages for a list of skilled nursing facilities.

• 8

  Take the marketing tour of prospective skilled nursing facilities. Talk to staff and residents alike, asking about staffing levels, staff credentials and qualifications, meals, employee drug screening and employee background checks.