How To Select A Nursing Home For A Loved One?

The decision to place a loved one in a nursing home is very difficult. You should consult with your loved one, other family members and your loved one's physician. If and when make a decision to place a loved one in a nursing home, you should consider some of these tips:

1. Compile a List:

Make a short list of nursing homes in your area that are possible candidates. If you know families that have loved one's in nursing homes, ask about their experience. You may locate nursing homes in your area by visiting the Health Care Financing Administration. In Illinois, visit the Illinois Department of Public Health to find detailed information on facilities in your area.

2. Research Nursing Homes:

Once you have compiled your list, it's time to research the facilities. Medicare has a great resource titled "A Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home." Click here to download this step-by-step guide to select a nursing home. You may order free hard copy by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

3. Compare Nursing Homes:

Approximately every 12 months each nursing home in the country is inspected by state inspectors for compliance with state and federal laws. The information from these inspections are readily available to you. You may compare side-by-side nursing homes in your area.

The following type of information is available:

• Ownership
• Number of Beds
• Percent of residents with bed sores, urinary incontinence, etc.
• Summary results of the last state inspection
• Number of Registered Nurses, licensed or vocational nurses, and nursing assistants in each home
• State, County and Individual Facility averages from inspection results

Simply visit Medicare.

Click on Illinois or Missouri to see more recent and additional information provided by these state departments.

4. Contact State Ombudsmen:

Illinois Department of Public Health
421 East Capitol Avenue Suite 100
Springfield, IL 62701-1789
(217) 785-3143

Missouri Division on Aging
P.O. box 1337
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1337
(800) 306-3282

Ask the following questions:

a. Has there been any proposed terminations for this facility in the past 2 years?

b. How many complaints have been filed against facility in the past 2 years?

• How many complaints were valid?
• Has the facility been cited in the past 2 years?
• How many "quality of care" violations have been cited in the past 2 years?
• Has the owner of this facility had other facilities recommended for termination? When?

For a list of other state ombudsmen addresses and phone numbers reference "A Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home."

5. Nursing Home Visit:

You must visit the facilities. Nothing can replace your visit and observations. This is your opportunity to personally grade the facilities. You should use the "Checklist" contained in "A Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home." This checklist walks you through the information you should ascertain while visiting the nursing home and allows you to grade the facility on important areas of interest to your loved one like Quality of Life, Quality of Care, Nutrition and Hydration, and Safety.

This detailed process should assist you in finding a facility that meets your loved one's needs. Once you have chosen a facility don't forget to follow up to ensure your loved one is getting quality care.

In our Wood River, Illinois, location, we conveniently represent clients in Alton, St. Clair, Madison, and St. Louis Counties, and throughout Illinois and Missouri.