The nightmare nursing home is a staple of many a comedy movie, where the older relative is forced to fend for themselves as their children and grandchildren have no idea. In real life, though, it’s not so funny, and there are facilities out there that will not treat you or your loved ones as well as you deserve. When you’re choosing a nursing home for yourself or a parent, here are a few things to watch out for.
Impression of Staff
You should have a good impression of the staff right when you walk in the door. They should be there immediately, greeting you with a warm, helpful smile. Find out what you can about the staff. They will be the ones primarily determining how you or your loved one’s stay will be. Find out what the turnover rate is; low turnover generally means a high quality facility, where the management takes care of the employees and everyone takes care of the guests.
Authoritarian Rules
You or your parent might be losing your ability to independently take care of yourself, but that’s not the same as becoming a child. No home should have authoritarian rules at all. Visiting hours being closed when most guests are asleep is acceptable, but there should be no restriction of visiting hours during the day at all. You should be able to see your loved ones whenever you want to.
Track Record
Look up the facility’s history and see if there have been any health code or abuse violations in the past. If there have, obviously steer clear.
You want the highest standard of care for your assisted living if you or a loved one is going to be giving up any degree of independence. When seeking kind and nurturing elder care services in Long Island, NY, try out Long Island Family & Elder Care.
