How to Find a Good Nursing Home

Nursing homes can vary in the quality of medical care they offer their residents. Some nursing homes offer more resources and amenities to patients than others. As reports of nursing home abuse and neglect have garnered recent attention, the quality of care at a facility is a top priority.

It is a good idea to make sure that you understand which positive qualities to look for in a reputable nursing home. In addition, familiarizing yourself with the signs of elder abuse can help you protect your loved one in the future. Should the need arise, a nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer in Memphis can help.

The Best Places to Begin Looking for a Nursing Home

You can often find a database of good nursing homes in your geographic area. Local hospitals and medical centers are also good resources to consult when you are compiling a list of reputable nursing homes. Comparing nursing homes is one of the first things you want to do when you compile a list of residential facilities.

One important factor you must consider when assessing nursing homes is the price associated with each one. Some facilities may be more expensive than others. However, sometimes nursing homes offer comparable amenities but charge different amounts.

Medicare and Medicaid

It is also important for you to determine if you or your loved one receives Medicare or Medicaid benefits. These programs may cover the financial costs of some nursing homes. For example, you may want to consider staying at a skilled nursing facility (SNF) if you or a loved one is a Medicare recipient.

Medicare may provide financial assistance for short-term residencies in a nursing home. Also, Medicare may help you pay for limited home and community-based long-term medical care. Medicaid may also provide financial assistance for the same services.

Medicaid also provides resources for individuals who suffer from physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and mental illnesses.

The Best Way to Choose a Nursing Home

First, you need to search all the nursing homes within a specific geographic area. Second, compare the quality of those nursing homes. Third, physically visit the nursing homes that attract your attention.

Lastly, pick one nursing home that meets your criteria and provides you with detailed information about its operations. Investigating how these nursing homes operate on a daily basis will help you make better decisions about yourself or your loved one.

Nursing Homes within a Specific Geographic Area

You can speak with individuals near your home who have knowledge about the nursing homes in your area. You can speak with physicians and other medical professionals about their participation in programs conducted by nursing homes. Also, find out more about the resources within your geographic area.

Community activity centers and local senior citizen centers also have good sources of information regarding local nursing home facilities.

Comparing the Nursing Homes You Investigate

Contacting your state health department is a good place to begin when you are searching for a nursing home. Also, you can seek out state licensing boards to see if you can find any information on the quality of medical care provided at specific nursing homes. Surveys and other written documents will provide you with more specific information regarding the quality of care available in nursing homes close to you.

Speaking with family members and friends who are knowledgeable about nursing homes can also help you with your decision.

Visiting the Nursing Homes that Meet Your Standards

Once you find some nursing homes that meet your criteria, it is time to visit the facilities in person. Making a decision regarding where you or your loved one will reside warrants a personal visit to the nursing home. Seeing the residents and the nursing staff close at hand will give you a valuable perspective on the quality of the care provided to patients.

If you are too busy with work or family members to visit the nursing home yourself, then you should ask a friend or family member to visit the nursing home for you. You may also contact the nursing home and gather information over the phone. But visiting the nursing home yourself will help you acquire a thorough understanding of the space.

Choosing the Right Nursing Home for You or Your Loved One

You can gather all the information you need, but you will have to decide which nursing home to choose. It is vital that you speak with individuals who understand the healthcare needs of the prospective resident. Social workers, doctors, hospital discharge planners, and family members may all possess valuable information.

You may be helping someone choose a nursing home. If this is the case, you should include that person in the decision-making process. It can cause problems later on if you make a decision about someone’s healthcare and they are not included in the endeavor.

What to Do After Choosing a Nursing Home

Gaining admission to the nursing home is the next step after you decide on a facility. It may be that another party will be seeking admission to the hospital. They may be injured or suffer from a disability.

First, you need to obtain a complete medical history of the person who is seeking admission to the nursing home. Second, the applicant’s physician should provide the nursing home with a complete current health status report. This may include diagnostic test results and a review of daily living activities.

Advance Directives for Healthcare and Living Wills

A skilled lawyer can help you create testamentary documents and other estate planning tools for yourself or your loved one. An advance directive for healthcare states how a patient wants medical decisions made if they lose the capacity to make their own regarding their health and medical treatment.

A living will is a legal document that is a type of advance healthcare directive. It states what type of medical treatments an individual wants if they cannot speak for themselves. Every resident in a nursing home should have an advance directive for healthcare.

Contact Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi PLC Today to Schedule a Free Consultation

A knowledgeable attorney can help you with any question you have regarding seeking a good nursing home for yourself or your loved one. Although it can be difficult for some parties to consider living in a nursing home, you should do everything within your power to find out as much information as possible about the nursing home you choose.

The attorneys of Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi PLC have a long history of success. If you suspect your elderly loved one has been abused or neglected by those in charge of their care, let our nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer fight for the justice your family deserves. Schedule a consultation today.