What are the most important factors in evaluating a nursing home?

There are many things to consider when choosing a nursing home for your parent. Here are some of the key questions to get you started as you make this important decision.

• Is the facility clean?
• Does it have a bad odor?
• How long has the director been accredited and what kind of experience does he or she have?
• How many citations does the facility have and have they been cleared by the Department of Social Services?
• Have the same citations occurred year after year?
• Is the facility family-run or is it operated by a large company or chain?
• Are the residents well-dressed and clean?
• Is there an activities calendar posted?
• Does the menu change on a regular basis?
• Are residents strapped to their wheelchairs and left in the hallways alone?
• Do the staff treat the residents with respect and care?

Once you've chosen a nursing home, pop in at different times of the day to see how your parent is doing. I once helped a woman move to a skilled nursing facility and told the staff that it was important to her to be dressed and have makeup on every day. When I returned a few days later, she was sitting in a wheelchair at 11 a.m. in a bathrobe with uncombed hair and no makeup. I made a complaint, but still had to keep checking on her every few days to make sure her needs were being met. Whatever nursing home you choose, the family needs to advocate for the senior on an ongoing basis to ensure the best possible care.