The decision to send an aging parent or relative to a nursing home takes work. It can come with many complex emotions, including relief that they will receive the necessary care, guilt that you cannot personally provide that care, and financial strain thinking about how to afford the often expensive quality care facilities. Ultimately, nursing homes can offer older adults the support and medical attention they need to feel more comfortable. But how can you and your family know which nursing home is best? 

Distance and Proximity

A state-of-the-art nursing home may seem ideal for an elderly family member. After all, you want them to feel pampered and comfortable. However, more than choosing the fanciest facility, you should consider whether it will be convenient for friends and family to visit. A reputable nursing home around the block is a much better choice than the most elite facility in the greater area, especially if it means you can see your loved one more often. 

Research suggests that frequent visitations to your aging relative in a nursing home can positively impact their physical and mental well-being. Additionally, visiting them often allows you to stay updated on their condition, monitor their well-being, and ensure that the quality of care is up to standard. If nursing home staff see that you are checking up on them frequently, they are more likely to be extra diligent in their care. 

Cost

Cost is an essential factor when choosing a nursing home. Medicare often covers short-stay nursing home residencies, but long-stay costs will most likely only be covered with private insurance or at the out-of-pocket expense of the senior or their family. Since nursing homes generally include 24/7 care, they tend to be expensive. 

Many factors influence the cost of long-term nursing home care. Location, the quality of the facility, room type, and the type of care most influence the price difference. Depending on financial need, Medicaid options may be available for families needing financial assistance—but most families find their elderly parent or relative does not meet the threshold. 

Medicare Ratings 

The 5-Star-Quality Rating System, facilitated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), offers comprehensive ratings for nursing home care facilities. The ratings are based on health inspection scores, care quality, and staffing ratios. When attempting to assess a nursing home’s care standards, start by reviewing CMS ratings.  

While online ratings should always be taken with a grain of salt, pay special attention to important information that could indicate that the facility is poorly run or understaffed. This includes citations, cases of bed sores, cases of sepsis, or other forms of elder neglect or abuse. 

While individuals working in nursing homes may not be purposefully neglectful or abusive, burn-out, improper training, or poor care plans can lead staff to engage in inappropriate behaviors. Instances of elder abuse in nursing homes are not as rare as one might think, with about 16% of aging adults experiencing abuse in institutional settings. Be sure to do your due diligence.  

Research & Reputation 

On top of checking Medicare ratings, consider reaching out to friends and family who may have recent experience with a local nursing home. First-hand experience and references can be beneficial when deciding if a particular location will be a good fit for an elderly parent or relative. Local agencies or newspapers may also have the scoop on well-rated or reputable nursing homes in the area. 

Google users may also have provided reviews about a particular facility—just remember that many individuals only leave reviews when they’ve had a bad experience. At the same time, now that establishments have realized the importance of public reviews, they may encourage patients or their families to leave inflated reviews. Pay attention to the specifics of a review. 

Get a Feel for the Place 

Before settling on a particular facility, arrange to check it out in person. Do not feel shy about interviewing staff members, administrators, or those with first-hand experience working with patients daily. Ask them how they handle visitations, medications, emergencies, and other specifics that may affect the older adults in their care. 

Consider going during off-peak hours to get a feel of how residents and staff interact without the vigilant eye of visitors. Observe the general mood, condition, and sociability of the residents currently staying in the facility. Can you picture your loved one feeling comfortable and cared for in that place?

Conclusion 

Despite the challenges of caregiving for an elderly parent or relative, there are resources to support you and your family. A nursing home can be one of those resources—round-the-clock nursing and medical staff can provide much-needed assistance to aging adults and the infrastructure for social engagement. Yet, not all nursing homes boast the same level of care, and in some unfortunate cases, they may even facilitate abusive or neglectful behavior. Be sure to consider which facility best fits you and your family thoroughly.