When the care requirements of an elderly individual make it necessary to find a nursing home for them, you need to make this choice carefully. The initial stage of selection would involve finding a number of nursing homes in your proximity. You would need to visit each of these health care facilities before choosing one for the elderly member of your family.
Scheduling a visit to a nursing home is necessary to give you an idea about the way the place functions. However, you would get to see the real picture when you visit a care home without prior appointment. Here are the things you need to focus on when visiting a nursing home to decide whether it would be right for an elderly individual.
Assess the facility:
Does the facility appear clean? Check for odours, a clear mark of problem when visiting such a care home. Strong deodorisers are not a good thing either; in most cases, they are used to cover up bad odours.
How is the arrangement? Whether the nursing home has the traditional set up, with a nurse station and set times for everything, or a modern approach, with a homely feel, check whether the place is well administered and organised.
Is the food served good? If the food is not appetising and nutritious it would not be able to meet the needs of the elderly individuals living there. Ask if special diet requirements are catered to and whether there are set time and place for meals.
Are activities available for residents? Keeping the elderly individuals engaged in some kind of activity helps aid alertness of the mind. Outdoor activities, if possible, are also good as they provide refreshment for the residents.
Is specialised care available? Certain progressive illnesses require specialised care. For example, you need to enquire whether Alzheimers careis available if the elderly individual has this illness, and associated problems like wandering, or aggressive behaviour.
Evaluate the staff:
Are there adequate staff members? Understaffing can be a problem when caring for elderly individuals is concerned. Check whether adequate staff members are available for providing proper care of the residents.
Do they seem suitable for the job? Along with checking the qualification, training and experience related details of the staff members; you also need to get an idea about their attitude. Care and compassion are essential traits these people need to have.
Do they look clean and well-groomed? If they are incapable of taking care of themselves, they would not be competent enough to take care of others. Also, talk to them regarding their opinion about their job to understand their approach.
Talk to the residents:
Do they look clean, contented and calm? If the elderly residents appear to be happy and satisfied, the chances that your elderly relation would also be contented there enhance. If possible, talk to the residents and their families to know more about the facility.
Visiting a nursing home gives you an insight into how things are at the place. Note these down to make the selection procedure easier for you. When you need to decide whether a particular nursing home would be right for the elderly member of your family, keep these points in mind to make the right choice.
Author Bio
Daniel Smith has long being associated with a Meath care facility. If you are looking for general care services for an elderly member of your family or specialised care likepalliative care, he suggests you visit http://www.comfortkeepers.ie/for more details.
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