Nursing homes are residential facilities for people with chronic illnesses or disabilities. While the elderly are the most common residents of a nursing home, younger people who need rehabilitation services, therapy or other medical live in nursing homes.
Types of Nursing Homes
The term "nursing home" is often used as a generic term covering all types of facilities for the elderly and disabled. However, there are many types of these facilities and each may offer a range of services including:
Short-term rehabilitative care (such as therapy after an accident or stroke).
Short-term terminal care (also known as hospice), which offers comfort measures for the dying.
Long-term care.
Assisted living facilities are similar to nursing homes. Assisted living centers are similar to senior citizen apartments but also have staff to help residents with dressing, feeding, toileting and more. Nursing homes provide these services as well as more acute medical care, such as therapy, monitoring of vital signs and more.
Needing a Nursing Home
A person needs a nursing home if her health has declined to the point that she can no longer care for herself and there is no one available to care for her daily needs.
Considerations include:
Does she fall regularly?
Does she forget to take her medications?
Does she frequently seem confused?
Does she wander?
Has she tried to injure herself or others?
Does she remember to eat, bathe and brush her teeth?
Do her clothes and her home seem dirty or unkempt?
Can someone exploit her financially by stealing her savings or belongings?
Does she spend many hours or days completely alone?
Is there a fire risk?
Choosing a Nursing Home
There are many factors involved in choosing a nursing home.
1. Choose a home near a relative's home or workplace so there can be frequent visits and quick access in case of an emergency.
2. Look for a home that seems pleasant: bright, cheery atmosphere; a pleasant staff; patients who seem alert and well cared for.
3. Watch for signs of neglect: a urine smell; patients with food on their face or clothing or in their hair; patients left for hours in their wheelchairs or beds; rude or overworked staff or a lack of sufficient, qualified staff.
4. Consider costs and insurance coverage. Will Social Security, pensions, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans programs and other resources cover the costs? What will happen to the patient when these run out?
5. Ask about patient-staff ratios and employee turnover. Low patient-staff ratios and low employee turnover signal that staff members are satisfied working there. Patient care is likely to be better than at other facilities.
6. When touring the facility, ensure that gloves and hand sanitizers are in every room. If necessary, ask to see patient lifts that may be used on your loved one.
Moving In
When moving a patient into a new facility, bring as many familiar belongings as space allows. Fill a bulletin board or picture frame with photos and notes from family and friends. Bring favorite clothes and attractive bed linens and towels. Label all the resident's belongings with her name and room number.
The nursing home will provide a list of what personal care items the family will need to provide. These may include underwear, shampoo, soap, medications, toothpaste, toothbrush, combs and more. Store these items where they can be easily found by staff members but out of reach of disoriented patients.
Visiting the Nursing Home
Visit the nursing home frequently (at least weekly). Visit during different times of day to monitor care through different shifts. Be pleasant with the patient and avoid unsettling news if it would unduly disturb him or her.
Watch for signs of patient neglect and document your findings. Report your concerns with the nursing home staff, the health department and, if necessary, local police. Follow up on your concerns to make sure necessary changes are made.
Tips
Moving into a new facility may be difficult. Your loved one may be anxious, sad or angry for some time after the move. She may become more confused. Be patient and give her time to adjust. Discuss your concerns with the staff and ask that she be given special attention.
Do not bring valuables or large amounts of money for the patient's use. There is usually no way to secure commodities against theft.
Watch your loved one: Does she seem alert and well cared for? Watch for any changes in her demeanor and overall health. Changes in demeanor or health can signal changes in her medical condition that require immediate attention.
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