by Daneen Cline
When a family is forced to face the realization that they are no longer able to safely care for their loved one at home they then face the daunting task of choosing a nursing home to place them in. This is something that the majority of us never give a thought to until we are actually faced with it and… if we did spare a thought for it, we would probably assume it was no big deal. After all, isn’t there a nursing home on every other corner in most urban areas? How hard can it be to find one we like that will take care of Mom or Dad? The problem with this line of thinking is that it assumes the only thing weighing on your mind at the time will be finding an excellent nursing home to place your loved one in. It doesn’t take into account the emotional onslaught that occurs for most people when the nursing home placement of a loved one is necessary.
As someone who is very familiar with nursing homes (the first 15 years of my career was spent working for a company that owned 7 nursing homes) I was in no way prepared for the experience of placing my mother in one. After a prolonged hospital stay for a myriad of problems, my mother was very weak and frail. The Doctor suggested a nursing home placement for some rehabilitation to build her strength up. My mother readily agreed to it and the choice of nursing home was obvious, it would be the one my eldest sister worked at. Easy, right? I had a mother who was willing to go and a facility to send her to where I knew she would be treated like a VIP because of my sister’s employment there. In actuality, it was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. I was totally unprepared for the emotional aspect of placing Mom in a nursing home. Leaving her there that first night was one of the hardest things I have ever done, and it didn’t get any easier as time went on. Fortunately, my mother was able to come home after a month, life returned to normal for my family and the entire experience made me a more empathic Case Manager because I now have personal knowledge of how difficult it is to place a loved one in a nursing home.
While nothing can really prepare you for the emotional toll of placing a loved one in a nursing home, there are things you can do that will make you feel more comfortable with the nursing home you finally choose.
1) Choose a nursing home that is located conveniently to family members. This makes it easy to drop in often and visit. This is important because you want to be actively involved with your loved ones care and you want the nursing home to know that you will be a frequent visitor.
2) Schedule a tour of the nursing home. Call the Admissions Director and have them give you a tour of the entire facility. Follow that up with 2 or 3 unannounced visits to the facility. These visits should occur at different times of the day. Any facility not willing to give you an “impromptu” tour is better scratched off your list!
3) Read the annual survey the facility received from the Ohio Department of Health or your state department of health. Most state laws requires that every facility be surveyed annually and that every facility post that survey in a place that residents and visitors have access to. These reports will tell you if the facility had any citations and what steps they took to correct them.
4) Read and understand the Resident Bill of Rights, e.g. http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3721.13.
5) Talk to the staff members and watch how they interact with the patients under their care. They are going to be your loved ones primary care givers. Do they like their jobs? How long have they been employed there? Do they treat the patients in a friendly, but respectful manner?
6)Finally, be realistic. No matter how wonderful the nursing home is, your loved one will be one of many that they are responsible for caring for. You will be disappointed and frustrated if you expect the same level of one on one care your loved one received at home. Does this mean they don’t get quality care? Of course not! It simply means that Dad might have to wait a few minutes for a glass of ice water to be brought to him or that Mom will have to wait her turn for assistance with her shower.
If you are willing to take the time to research potential nursing homes you will be more comfortable with the one you ultimately choose, your loved one will sense this and they in turn will be more comfortable in their new home.
If you would like information on nursing homes for your specific area please contact:
Centerburg Office – Lisa Nelson, Outreach Coordinator 1-800-798-5297
Both Lisa and Christine have extensive knowledge of the nursing homes in their areas and will be happy to assist you in your search for the nursing home that best meets your needs.
