If you are trying to decide on a nursing home for your parent, you should have some questions ready to ask the nursing home staff. A good nursing home should be ready to handle any number of situations that could impact your loved one.
Knowing how the nursing home staff will react can provide you with insight into whether the home will be a good place for your parent. U.S. News and World Report describes some questions that you can ask nursing home staffers as you speak with them to learn more about their facility.
Services
Nursing home residents have various needs. Some require rehabilitation from a bone fracture, stroke, or heart attack. Seniors may also require oxygen due to lung or heart disease. Due to a chronic disease, a senior may need regular medication. Ask a staffer what services they provide and if they can accommodate the needs of your parent. You might find you need a nursing home with more extensive care service.
Bedsores
Nursing home residents that are bedridden or cannot move much on their own are at risk of bedsores if staffers leave them in their beds for too long. Ask staffers how they prevent their residents from developing bedsores. Do they shift or move residents every couple of hours? Also ask about equipment like mattresses that ease the pressure that could cause sores.
Dementia
If you have a parent suffering from dementia, you want a facility that understands how to care for dementia residents and how to protect them from harm. Ask a staffer if the home provides any special care for dementia sufferers. Also ask if the home employs staffers with dementia care training. Also learn about how the facility prevents residents from wandering outside or into dangerous locations.
Evictions
You do not want to set up your parent at a home only to receive word that the home wants to evict your loved one. Ask about eviction procedures. Check to see if the home has resident behavior requirements. Also inquire what will happen if your parent runs out of money and needs to use Medicaid. Does the home accept Medicaid? Make sure the home will not evict your parent on account of not accepting Medicaid payments.