Many families seek nursing homes only when they are forced to do so in a medical emergency. They are often not prepared to make decisions quickly and choose the best home for what could be a long-term stay. "Families feel pressured to make these kinds of decisions in the moments of real crisis," says, an experienced nursing home manager Mark Berger Chicago, from Skokie, Illinois.
This nursing home professional shares the important details of these facilities before choosing the most suitable for a loved one.
He points out that there are online tools that can help you ask the right questions when choosing a nursing home for a loved one.
How to compare nursing homes
This online tool (Elder Center, NHC), which manages the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, rates more than 15,000 nursing homes that have certificates from that agency, on a scale of 1 to 5 stars (the more stars, the best). The NHC tool bases its rating in three categories: how the home did in health inspections, if it has adequate staff and the score on other quality measures.
Experts advise analyzing numbers beyond qualifications. "Just because it has a five-star rating, it doesn't mean it will be wonderful," says Berger Chicago, who is the owner of the nursing home Villa Healthcare "But if it has 1 or 2 stars, you know that it is going to be problematic." Each report contains useful information. Make sure to read the inspection reports thoroughly.
Ombudsman in the states
Federal law provides that each state in the country has a long-term care advocate who serves as the protector of people in nursing homes and their families. The nursing home executive, Berger Chicago points out that the defender's office reviews complaints and other inquiries about nursing homes in order to solve the problems. Much of the information that these offices collect is available through reports and documents on their web pages. To find the defender of your region, Berger Chicago advises visiting the website of the National Consumer Voice.
AARP checklist
To make sure you get all the possible information on site visits, Mark Berger Chicago suggests visiting the website of AARP, which offers a list called "Residences: what to ask." (Nursing Homes: What to Ask ”). Search for the phrase "AARP Nursing Home Checklist" (How to Compare Senior Centers) in an online search engine to find the link. This list includes verification of staff history, transportation of residents to their medical appointments and more.
