On January 8, 2014, an elderly woman on the Southside of Indianapolis was critically injured following a fire in the room of her nursing care facility. While this incident could very well prove to be a horrible accident, it brings to light the fact that we place our loved ones in the care of others and expect that they will remain safe and well cared for. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.
How did you decide to place a loved one in a nursing home? What was on your “must haves” list? Below is a list of ideas of topics to consider when choosing a nursing home or assisted living facility.
– Location: Where should the nursing home facility be located? If you are going to be making key decisions and visiting regularly, then you would want it near your home to make those tasks easier for you.
– Is your loved one suffering from a particular ailment? If your loved one suffers from Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, it might be important to choose a facility that specializes in the care of these particular patients.
– Have you visited the facility and observed the care they provide? Do you know anyone else with firsthand experience at the facility?
– What grade have they received? This link will provide you with a rating of particular nursing homes in your particular area.
– Research. Listen to your gut. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and make multiple visits to observe. There are several resources online that provide you with checklists of questions to ask when interviewing a particular facility as well as certain safety concerns that aren’t always obvious to a typical consumer.
