finding a nursing home

Hi Leah:

A lot of thought goes into choosing the right facility for a loved one and is almost too involved to go into in this format.  But, to get you started you may want to think about the following:

1.  Check out the prospective facility's most recent State Health Department Survey by going on http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/ then go into Health Facilities to find the nursing homes survey before you take a tour.  This process takes a couple of clicks to get to the survey center but it's easy enough.  The survey is designed to enforce regulations and deficiencies are given in areas where care delivery is non-compliant.  This is a great tool. Remember that there are several Assisted Living Facilities in the area that specialize in memory care so check those out as well. You can retrieve a complete listing of facilities in Larimer County from the Office on Aging.

2.  Make a list of services and amenities that are important to you, i.e. transportation to doctor appointments, wide range of recreational activities, etc.

3.  Tour the prospective facility.  Take a facility checklist which can be obtained on-line from the Office on Aging with you. The checklist is a tool used to determine whether or not the facility meets prudent standards such as cleanliness, reduced noise levels, etc.

4.  Make sure you ask about all pre-admission and post-admission costs, whether or not the facility is Medicaid certified (this is important in case the resident's personal funds are exhausted after admission).

Leah, this is just a very basic answer to your question but you can get further assistance by calling the local ombudsman (resident and family advocate), Tina Barker or Linda Rumney at 498.6803 and 498.6806 for more indepth guidance.  You can also feel free to call me at 744.4526. 

Good luck with your search.

Donna Brumbaugh, American Elder Advocates