Can I Get a List Questions to Ask Nursing Homes?

2 Comments

1. mtwaites says:

   November 14, 2010 at 8:34 pm

   1) What has the reputation been like at the nursing home?
   2) How do your staff treat their residences?
   3) What is a typical day like at the nursing home?
   4) What are the type of activities that are offerred through the home?
   5) What is the liability insurance like?
   6) What training does the staff have?
   7) What is the safety history within the home? Has there been any major problems with the building?
   9) What routines do the staff have with the residences?
   10) What is the policy if there is an illness or injury?
   11) What stuff is allowed to be brought into the home?
   12) Has there been any complaints lodged against the house?
   13) Are they experienced with Parkinsons?
2. Anne says:

   November 16, 2010 at 12:48 pm

   Great list that Mtwaites has given to you.

   Dont be afraid of stopping in at a variety of nursing homes at all hours of the day — go morning, afternoon, evening hrs and just see what your feel is of the home. Is it chaotic with people calling out, crying, sitting in the hallway doing nothing in their wheelchair. Are there odors present. Are staff members (esp. the aides, standing around talking to each other while the needs of the residents go unmet? Are they standing around gossiping? complaining? just relaxing or are they highly professional?) These are different things to look for and places I’d stay away from if I saw those things over a couple of visits.

   Also go during meals and see what the dining room looks like during meals, again how attentive the staff members are — are people being fed in a timely manner, are the meals presented attractively and is it something that you yourself would want to eat? Or are the patients sitting at the table waiting to be fed while their meals get cold? Are the meals served sloppy, on plastic trays and unpresentable?

   What you are looking for is a serene atmosphere. A loving and attentive setting where the patients are being taken care of. A place where people are treated like family and there is a feeling of respect — not only for the patients and their family, but for the staff as well.

   Are there activities going on, as well as music playing. Look at their activity schedule and talk to the activity director — they should have a very active schedule. Are their parties and is this something that family members are included in?

   Is there a room that the residents can go to out of their own room — such as a nice living room, activity room, common room, large TV room or library? Or does it look more like a hospital where one is pretty much confined to their own room – don’t want that.

   Once you’ve narrowed it down to 2 or 3 homes, just keep going back till you see if you get a really good feel about one or the other. People should be greeting you and your wife by name. YOu’ll also want to find out if you are able to have a meal with your wife. How welcome are you going to be going into the facility — you should be completely welcomed and never made to feel that you are intruding.

   Hope that helps a bit.