Selecting a the Best Nursing Home for Your Loved Ones
We understand that you want the best care you can find for your loved ones. We recognize that it takes gumption to ask for help in caring for their daily needs. There’s no shame in exploring options to find the best of the best. Peace of mind in knowing that your loved ones are cared for, is priceless. Don’t be fooled by facilities that dazzle shoppers with a fresh coat of paint that doesn’t live up to the care standard you are searching for.
In general, when we think of a “nursing home,” we think of a living center that offers long term care (LTC) for loved ones with daily needs exceeding their capabilities. Unfortunately, the process of finding a home for elderly parents and grandparents is often stigmatized poorly in our society, and facilities are painted in poor light. For many, this brings on feelings of guilt in the selection process because of their misguided perception of the care they are seeking. Such feelings might cause them to choose the most expensive, biggest, or newest facility to help alleviate those feelings or perceptions.
Substandard facilities understand this dynamic and prey upon shoppers’ guilty feelings or fear, by emphasizing curb appeal to bring in new clients. Meanwhile, these facilities cut corners and provide sub-quality care behind the scenes, for those they’ve already “tricked” into crossing the threshold. This process perpetuates the vicious cycle and leaves families floundering to find a replacement home when their needs aren’t being met. To top it off, there is the added financial burden as families struggle to handle the transition costs incurred for the failed experiment.
The first thing to consider when selecting a “nursing home,” is what kind of care you are looking for. Perhaps you need extended, long term care of a loved one who is needing ongoing assistance with daily tasks or medical needs. [READ MORE ABOUT LONG TERM CARE] Or, perhaps you or a loved one recently sustained an injury and require physical therapy and daily assistance for a short period, while rehabilitating. [READ MORE ABOUT SKILLED CARE]. Once care type is considered, it’s time to take a look at the facility. That means scheduling a tour in-person, so that you can get a feel for the place, beyond the street curb. This is something that just can’t be done thoroughly with photos on a website. Take extra time to explore the areaS that are most important for your needs, like rehabilitation facilities or recreational areas. Ask yourself questions like: How is the lighting? Are people smiling? Is the staff friendly and positive? Does it smell nice? Is it a comfortable temperature? Are there activities and scheduled events?
Understanding pitfalls in the nursing home selection process will arm you against industry deception, and empower you to ask the right questions on the front-end. Determining your loved ones’ specific needs will help you to filter facilities based on equipment and skill levels. You can then tour facilities of interest with an informed and scrutinous eye to avoid manipulation of your emotions that would impact your decision. [READ MORE ABOUT TRIACLE HOMES]
