What to Look For in Nursing Care Homes

Taking the time to consider moving a parent or loved one into an assisted living community or long term care facility is no easy task. Nursing care homes are designed to provide around-the-clock healthcare for those who may need it, whether because of illness, disability, or simple aging.

One of the best things you can do to ease the transition into assisted living care is to go through the decision-making process together. This can be an emotionally stressful ordeal both for you and your family, but taking the time to research a high quality facility will ease anxiety on both ends. Use some of these questions to discuss with your loved one their needs, desires, and expectations for nursing care homes. That way, you’ll both know you’re in good hands.

• Does the Facility Have Proper Amenities?
  When looking at different nursing care homes, keep in mind your loved one’s capacity to get around. Retaining a certain level of independence is important, so if they need handrails or wheelchair accessible facilities, those should be a top priority.
• Does the Staff Seem Happy to Be There?
  The nurses, aides, and other staff will be working directly with your loved one for a majority of their days. It’s important not only that they seem pleasant, but that they can do their jobs well and that they get along with each other and the residents. Certain people have different temperaments — some like to keep to themselves, while others need to be very social. Bear these personality traits in mind as you shop around.
• Are there Suitable Activities?
  Some facilities offer organized events, religious services, clubs, etc. It’s likely that your loved one will be checking into your chosen assisted living home for quite some time — the average length of stay is 835 days — so make sure that they can be happy and continue to live a fulfilling life.

The more you make the transition to nursing homes a conversation, the better you’ll feel about the end decision. Together, you can ensure a safe and happy future for your loved one — and for yourself — so that you both can live your best lives.