Kay Finan, who works at Help Unlimited, a Maryland firm that
does paperwork for elderly clients, has seen many clients go into
nursing homes. Recently she experienced having her mother-in-law
enter one. She suggests looking at the bulletin board at the home
you’re inspecting. It gives you a good idea of what activities
are actually being offered to the residents, she says. She has also
found that there is an intangible component to the selection
process. “You do need to have a list of practical
considerations when you’re looking at a nursing home,”
she advises, “because it’s a stressful time and you need
something to help you be detached. But the answers on a checklist
aren’t necessarily the whole story. Sometimes you find a place
that’s not as beautiful or as good on paper as some of the
others, but you can just tell it has heart. That’s a
significant factor to me.”
‘Plan ahead’ is the advice from Diane Walden,
NFCA’s administrative manager. This past January, Diane’s
husband was hospitalized with a serious stroke. Just one day before
he was to be released, Diane was told that he would have to go to a
nursing home for rehabilitation. “I was lucky,” she says,
“because I knew what to do. I had given advice to so many of
our members that I was aware of the books and resources that could
help me. Even so, I felt panicky at the thought of having to do it
all so quickly.” If you know your care recipient may be a
future candidate for a nursing home, doing some of the research
ahead of time, when you are not feeling stressed about a time
limit, can increase your chances of finding the best possible
facility.
Resources That Can Help
Here are some resources that will help you through the nursing
home selection process:
Ombudsman Program: Each state has a Nursing Home Ombudsman,
often through its Office on Aging or Department of Social Services.
The Ombudsman will talk to you personally and provide general
information on how to choose a facility. Most offer a very
comprehensive booklet on nursing homes, complete with checklists,
at no charge You can inquire about specific facilities to ascertain
whether there have been serious complaints or problems at that
institution. The Ombudsman’s office will also respond to
complaints you may have after you have placed your loved one in the
facility, and while they begin by urging self-advocacy, they will
get personally involved when the seriousness of the complaint
warrants.
