Choosing the Right Nursing Home - Mazow | McCullough, PC
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How to Choose the Right Nursing Home for a Loved One

Deciding that it’s time for your loved one to go into a nursing home is difficult and you have a lot of responsibility to your loved one to ensure that the facility you choose will meet their needs. Nursing home abuse is a common occurrence among nursing homes that are short staffed or who don’t provide proper training to their employees. Here are several red flags to watch out for when selecting a nursing home for your loved one so you can have peace of mind that they will be well taken care of and at less risk for neglect.

Nursing Home Abuse

Check the Cleanliness of the Facilities

A nursing home that is dirty or in disrepair signals that they do not have enough staff to maintain the facility. Ask to see the room your loved one would be in and also ask if you can see another. The facility will have had time to prepare one room, but looking at another room can give you a more accurate idea of whether the facility is cleaned regularly.

Observe the Demeanor of the Patients There

Look at what the other patients are doing and how they’re acting. Are they engaged in activities outside their rooms? Do they seem happy to be there overall? Or does their demeanor indicate fear, upset, or frustration? If possible, ask to speak with one of the current residents to find out what they do and don’t like about the facility. The actions and words of individuals who have been living there can let you know more about the type of environment that exists within the facility.

Eat a Meal There

Mealtime will be a significant part of your loved one’s experience at the nursing home. Meals are served three times a day and food is a source of both social engagement and nourishment. Eat a meal with your loved one at the nursing home and use it as an opportunity to gauge what kind of food is served to the patients there and how pleasant the mealtime experience is overall. Look for red flags such as patients being left in their rooms when it is mealtime, patients not eating but not being assisted, and other indicators that may suggest neglect or abuse is taking place.

Ask Open Ended Questions

Ask staff members plenty of questions, but be aware of how you phrase the questions as well. For example, you want to ask open ended questions instead of questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Let the answers of the staff allow you to get a feel for the leadership there and the care they are willing to provide their patients and the patient’s family.

If your loved one has suffered nursing home abuse, don’t hesitate to contact Mazow | McCullough today by calling (855) 693-9084 or (978) 744-8000.

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