How to Find a Nursing Home for a Senior, Career Near Me
How to Find a Nursing Home for a Senior, Career Near Me
If you're looking for a great nursing home for your loved one, there are several simple strategies for finding the one that's the best fit. First, do your research: decide on the appropriate location and cost of the nursing home while looking for the ones that come most recommended. It's super important to visit any nursing homes you're thinking about and ask the staff lots of questions so you have an accurate idea of how they care for their residents.
Method 1 Doing the Research.
1. Decide where you want the nursing home to be located. This will immediately narrow down your options. Think about if the nursing home should be near your loved one's current home, close to you or another caregiver, or in an entirely new location. Once you've picked the general location, you'll be able to pull up a map or do a search to find out which nursing homes are in the area.
For example, type “nursing homes” and then the intended zip code into an online search engine to find nursing homes in that area.
2. Narrow down the nursing homes depending on the cost options. Nursing homes can get pricey, and if you're on a budget, it's best to eliminate the ones that just won't be affordable. It's also important to check which nursing homes are covered by private medical insurance or government funding, such as Medicaid and Medicare.
The prices and payment options for most nursing homes will be found on their website, but if you have any questions about the cost, call the nursing home to speak to an employee who can help answer your questions.
An average nursing home costs around $8,000 a month.
3. Ask around to find nursing homes with the best reputation. Reach out to friends, family members, coworkers, neighbors, or even a local hospital's discharge planner for nursing home recommendations. Make a list of any nursing homes others tell you about and research them to find out more.
If someone recommends a specific nursing home to you, make sure to ask them why they like it and other specific questions you have.
4. Go online to compare nursing homes using comparison websites. Search online for a nursing home compare tool, which is a website that will compare different nursing homes in the area all on one page. You'll be able to see the names of local nursing homes as well as their ratings and distances.
One popular nursing home compare website you can use to find nursing homes in the US is https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html.
You can also look for ratings or reviews for a specific nursing home online.
Type your zip code into the compare tool to find nursing homes nearby with high ratings for different areas like staffing, health inspections, or quality measures.
Method 2 Gathering Information during a Visit.
1. Create a list of questions to ask the nursing home employees. Write or type up your questions, leaving a space after each one for you to write the answer, if desired. Ask questions about things like how many residents the nursing home has, what kind of activities they provide, what the visiting hours are, or how the staff handles emergencies. Don't worry about asking too many questions—the more information you have, the better!
You might also ask about the ratio of staff to residents, if there's a registered nurse on staff at all times, how long nurses or aides spend with the residents each day, and if they offer special dietary options.
Consider asking residents whether they're comfortable and happy there, how long they have to wait when they ask for help, and how often they're able to spend time outdoors.
2. Schedule a time to visit the nursing home. While it's possible you could just drop by, scheduling a visit will ensure someone is ready to answer all of your questions, and you'll get a more complete tour. Call the nursing home to speak to someone about picking a time and day that works for you to visit.
Visiting the nursing home is super important, as this will give you the best idea of whether or not it's the right fit.
3. Visit the nursing home to experience the environment. While you're visiting, look to see whether the staff is respectful and nice, if the food looks appealing, whether the residents have privacy, and if the nursing home is clean and well-kept. Take your time during your visit and make sure all of your questions are answered before you leave.
It's also a good idea to look for things like nice natural lighting and whether there's a telephone and TV in each room.
If you're not able to visit, see if a family member or friend can visit for you.
4. Find out about the nursing home's quality of life. This includes things like whether the residents are allowed to wake up and go to sleep whenever they prefer, if they can eat whenever they'd like, and how strict the visiting hours are. Most people like a nursing home to feel homey and inviting, very similar to an actual house, giving them their freedom while they're being taken care of.
5. Bring your loved one to the nursing home to see if they like it. You can do this on the initial visit, or you can go back at a different time once you've settled on a couple options. If your loved one doesn't feel comfortable and safe in the nursing home after visiting, you might need to look at other options.
Ask your loved one if they have any specific concerns or requests about where they'll be living.
Method 3 Getting Set up in the Nursing Home.
1. Fill out the admissions paperwork. This will likely be done in the nursing home with a staff member, but call or email the nursing home to find out the exact process. Your loved one will need to sign the paperwork to show that they're aware of what the documents are saying.
Check beforehand to see if there's anything you or your loved one needs to bring, such as a social security card.
2. Complete the financial assessment to determine the payment plan. The nursing home will need all of your loved one's financial information, such as whether they're using Medicaid or Medicare, if they receive any government benefits, or if they have any life insurance policies. Answering the financial questions given by the nursing home helps them figure out if your loved one will receive federal funding.
Other financial questions the nursing home might ask for are if your loved one rented or owned their home, or if they have any checking or savings accounts.
3. Gather all of your loved one's medical and personal information. This includes things like their insurance information, medical records, a list of medications being taken, and emergency contacts. Your nursing home will likely have a list of the specific pieces of information they need. Be as specific as possible when writing out the details of things like medication and their health status.
Your loved one's doctor will likely give them a physical before going into the nursing home, so have the doctor write out the information for any medications they're taking, such as how often to take it and the dosage amount.
The nursing home may also ask if your loved one has legal documents such as a living will.
4. Help the nursing home staff decide on a care plan. This is decided after the nursing home looks over the health information. The care plan involves what types of health services your loved one will need, how often they need the services, and what types of supplies it will require.
The care plan also includes what types of foods your loved one needs and wants to eat, as well as what types of activities they should be involved in.
If they're in a Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home, the nursing home is required by law to give your loved one the help and services they need.
5. Set up times for guests to visit the nursing home. The transition into a nursing home can sometimes be rocky, so it's a good idea to set up a time when your loved one will know they get to see family or friends. Coordinate with the nursing home if they have specific visiting hours.
For example, maybe you plan to visit your loved one every Wednesday evening for dinner.
If you're not able to visit, try scheduling a FaceTime visit or bi-weekly phone call. You could even write them letters to open in the nursing home.
Your budget: Moving to an assisted living facility typically costs a little less than full-time, in-home care. However, those costs can vary, depending on where you live.
Your wishes: Think about what you and your family want. For instance, you may want to be closer to your family, which may require you to move out of your home. However, you might strongly prefer to stay in your home as long as possible.
Your safety: It's important to consider whether you can safely stay in your home, even if there's a caregiver present. If you're unable to navigate stairs in your home, for instance, or if you require more intensive medical care than a home care aide could provide, the home may no longer be the right environment for you.
Tips.
Expect a period of adjustment for your loved one to settle into the home and for you to settle into a new routine.Add some personal touches to their room in the nursing home, such as pictures of family, fresh flowers, colorful artwork, or their favorite books.
