If you’re planning on making living arrangements for your senior loved one, you may be considering a few options. A nursing home could be one of them since they may need around the clock care due to their age and even chronic health conditions they may have. While nursing homes can serve a positive purpose for your senior loved one, it is important to spot any warning signs that may seem amiss.
The issue of abuse in nursing homes should be kept in mind. Especially if you want your senior loved one to feel safe and protected. This guide will go over the warning signs that you need to look out for when evaluating a nursing home.
After reading this, you’ll have confidence and faith knowing you can make the right choice if you spot something that doesn’t sit well with you. The last thing you need is leaving your senior loved one in an unsafe place. Let’s begin with what you need to know right now.
What is so important about choosing the right nursing home?
Your senior loved one may need to be cared for by a highly trained staff. Choosing the right nursing home will be important since the decision you may make will affect their health, safety, and overall well-being. For this reason, you need to be careful with what your decision might be.
Could a nursing home for your senior loved one be the best option? It doesn’t have to be. But it never hurts to consider it as a possible option compared to others like assisted living facilities.
Keep in mind that making such a decision can have emotional and financial implications. Ask yourself the following questions:
- “Am I mentally prepared for my senior loved one to live in a nursing home?”
- “Are they going to receive the best care from the staff?”
- “What kind of financial implications will I face?”
- “Is this place a safe and clean environment?”
These are a sample of the many questions that you may be asking yourself. It can be an overwhelming process at times. Yet, you can do your part to make sure that your senior loved one is able to live in an environment that will make them feel safe, secure, and important to the staff and their fellow residents.
What are the warning signs when evaluating a nursing home?
Warning signs do exist. However, it’s a matter of whether or not any of them are present. At some point, you may need to evaluate a nursing home by being present on-site.
Let’s begin with what could constitute as warning signs for a nursing home that your senior loved one might avoid:
Poor online reviews
Today’s world has us connected to the Internet like never before. Even review sites might play a role in the crucial decisions we make – including placing our senior loved one in nursing homes. If there are any reviews present, you will need to review them carefully
You should also look over any poor reviews that may be present. While reviews should be taken with a grain of salt, reading them will give you a good idea of what each experience is like as told by family members of senior residents. Look for reviews that are authentic and detailed since they will give you a good idea of what could be expected.
If the negative reviews outweigh the positive ones, you may want to find out why. Specifically, look for any detailed negative reviews about the cleanliness or how the residents are being treated. You’ll want to steer clear from that facility and find another one that’s available if you notice any patterns.
On-site tour
It may be a good idea to contact nursing home staff about possibly visiting the nursing home facility in person. Your senior loved one may accompany you. This will give you a glimpse of what the environment looks like from the inside and out.
You want to be on the lookout for any potential safety hazards that may exist. Another thing is to talk to other staff members if they are available. It will allow you a chance to get to know some of the people that may be taking care of your senior loved one.
An on-site tour might be something you’re more comfortable with if online reviews don’t seem like enough. You want to know what your senior loved one’s potential living arrangements should look like. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions to the staff.
If they mention anything like staff shortages, this may be a place to steer clear from for now. The reason for this is such issues like a short staff could cause trouble for your senior loved ones. Especially in the case of possible neglect where not everyone may be tended to accordingly – even for days on end.
Since safety is paramount, you want to make sure you observe the physical environment. Are there any safety measures and apparatuses in place such as handrails, chair lifts, and others? Is the facility accessible for those with mobility issues?
Safety and cleanliness are important. So make sure the nursing home facility exceeds your expectations.
Check your local news sites
Nursing home abuse can be documented by the local media. Is the nursing home you’re looking at embroiled in some kind of negative press? If the answer is “yes”, then that’s a clear warning sign letting you know that it’s not the place for your senior loved one.
This method seems like a bit of a stretch. But there’s no such thing as doing too much to check on the reputation of a nursing home. Especially if your senior loved one might live there in the not so distant future.
Look for compliance records
Nursing homes and related senior living facilities must comply with various regulations regarding the living environment, health, and safety of their residents. The regulations and laws may be dependent on your jurisdiction. From there, you want to make sure the facility you’re considering for your senior loved one is complying with those regulations.
If they are non-compliant, that’s a clear case made for avoiding that nursing home facility in particular. It’s a sign that the health and safety of each resident is not being taken seriously.
Look for employee reviews
This may be a little difficult if you’re in search of nursing home reviews in your local area in terms of employment. You’re not doing this for the sake of working yourself. It might be a window to employee turnover rate.
If the staff are being treated with dignity and respect, they may have positive morale and a good attitude about their job. When some of the staff leave and move on, they will leave positive or negative reviews. Again, negative reviews should be acknowledged accordingly but taken with a grain of salt for the moment.
Poor employee morale can lead to many issues. It can even affect your senior loved one and other residents poorly. And that’s where abuse and neglect may play a role.
If you can’t find employee reviews on sites like Glassdoor or similar, you may try Google reviews. Some former employees may leave reviews about their employment there rather than on a website.
What if I don’t see any warning signs?
If you don’t notice warning signs after looking over reviews and touring the facility, this is a good sign. You are a step closer to making sure your senior loved one is ready to move into a place that they’ll call home for what could be the rest of their life. At this point, you should be making a crucial decision that will be emotionally and mentally tough.
Needless to say, you want to be sure that your senior loved one is prepared for this arrangement. It may be tough trying to look after them while you have your own life. But you’ll have full faith and confidence knowing that a nursing home staff will be able to take the best care of them.
At the same time, you may not have the skills and know-how to be a caretaker. That’s OK – not everyone is like that. Another thing is having concerns about how well taken care of your senior loved one will be.
Conclusion
Finding the right nursing home can be a challenge. However, this guide will help you find one that is right for your senior family member. It’s crucial to watch for warning signs that may exist, and if you encounter any concerns, contacting an attorney can provide the necessary support and advice.
Even a single warning sign may be enough to decide that the facility is not the best place for your senior loved one. This process will take time and, yes, even money. Consulting with an attorney can help you navigate this complex decision-making process more effectively. In the meantime, you can also consider other options that may be the best fit for your senior loved one in terms of their living arrangements, the kind of care they’ll receive, and more. An attorney can provide valuable guidance in exploring these alternatives.
