When you have an elderly relative in your care, there are many things you have to consider to make sure they are properly taken care of. As you are not a medical professional, you will probably need help to ensure that your parent or grandparent receives proper care. If you are working full-time, it will be pretty impossible to be at home all the time and a challenge to supervise the person in need.
For this reason, a nursing home might be the solution you need. This way, you know there is a professional and trained staff who can adequately take care of your relative, and you won’t have to constantly worry about them when you are at work. So, this option might be more suitable if you cannot hire a stay-at-home nurse or have the space needed to facilitate the elder’s stay.
However, a highly important mention would be to make sure the nursing home is safe with skilled and responsible professionals, as nursing home abuse is more common than you would think. But don’t worry, there are certain things you can do beforehand to guarantee the facility is respectable.
Thorough research
The statistics are worrying when it comes to nursing home abuse – around 15.7% of elders have been victims of some kind of abuse. The results from this 2017 study might be an underestimation as many cases of abuse are not reported. So, you must make sure the nursing home will provide a safe and proper environment.
One way of making sure of this is by conducting thorough research online and compare and contrast the findings. Ratings are always a great way of finding out relevant information, as others might report any incidents that were harmful to the person they checked into the nursing home. What’s more, it is imperative you visit the facilities in person and ask around many people from the staff, and see if there are any red flags. A vital question would be about the hiring process, background checks, and based on what criteria they hire their staff. If the nursing home employees avoid giving a direct answer, it is a sign of concern, as respecting and good facilities value a great deal who they hire.
Confirm the type of measures taken
As part of your research, you should make sure the nursing home takes all the necessary precautions. This includes fall and accident prevention, as the patients are prone to falling due to their delicate conditions. A good facility will recognize this risk and make sure they have individualized care plans to minimize such risk.
Another vital aspect is in regards to medication control. To make sure errors in a senior’s medication are not happening, staff must be highly trained to adjust or manage it. This can be done with constant training, so a way of ensuring the nursing home is respectable is by checking if they provide regular training for their staff.
Stay close to home
If available, you should choose a nursing home that is as closer to your home as possible. This way, you can visit more often, be close to your loved ones, and check up on them and their health condition. Additionally, if there is anything inadequate or the patient is taken care of superficially, you are more likely to notice and move them to a better nursing home immediately.
