Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home (Part VI)
Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has published a booklet entitled "How to Choose a Nursing Home."
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The importance of planning ahead
- First Considerations
- Do you need a nursing home?
- Quality-of-life/quality-of-care issues
- Beginning the Search
- Identifying important resources
- Understanding your needs and wants
- Visiting a Nursing Home
- When to visit Who to talk to What to ask
- Making the Selection
- Payment considerations Medicare/Medicaid coverage
- Long-term care insurance
- Reviewing the contract
- Nursing Home Checklist
(Consider printing this checklist to take with you on your visits.)
Nursing Home Checklist
When you visit a nursing home, you should carry this checklist with you It will help you to compare one facility with another, but remember to compare facilities certified in the same category for example, a skilled nursing facility with another skilled nursing home Because nursing homes may be licensed in more than one category, always compare similar types of service among facilities.
Look at Daily Life | Home A | Home B |
|---|---|---|
1.Do residents seem to enjoy being with staff? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
2. Are most residents dressed for the season and time of day? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
3. Does staff know the residents by name? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
4. Does staff respond quickly to resident calls for assistance? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
5. Are activities tailored to residents' individual needs and interests? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
6. Are residents involved in a variety of activities? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
7. Does the home serve food attractively? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
8. Does the home consider personal food likes and dislikes in planning meals? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
9. Does the home use care in selecting roommates? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
10 Does the nursing home have a resident's council? If it does, does the council influence decisions about resident life? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
11 Does the nursing home have a family council? If it does, does the council influence decisions about resident life? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
12 Does the facility have contact with community groups, such as pet therapy programs and Scouts? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
Look at Care Residents Receive | Home A | Home B |
|---|---|---|
1. Do various staff and professional experts participate in evaluating each resident's needs and interests? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
2. Does the resident or his or her family participate in developing the resident's care plan? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
3. Does the home offer programs to restore lost physical functioning (for example, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy)? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
4. Does the home have any special services that meet your needs? For example, special care units for residents with dementia or with respiratory problems? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
5. Does the nursing home have a program to restrict the use of physical restraints? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
6. Is a registered nurse available for nursing staff? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
7. Does the nursing home have an arrangement with a nearby hospital? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
Look at How the Nursing Home Handles Payment | Home A | Home B |
|---|---|---|
1. Is the facility certified for Medicare? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
2. Is the facility certified for Medicaid? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
3. Is the resident or the resident's family informed when charges are increased? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
Look at the Environment | Home A | Home B |
|---|---|---|
1. Is the outside of the nursing home clean and in good repair? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
2. Are there outdoor areas accessible for residents to use? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
3. Is the inside of the nursing home clean and in good repair? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
4. Does the nursing home have handrails in hallways and grab bars in bathrooms? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
5. When floors are being cleaned, are warning signs displayed, or are areas blocked off to prevent accidents? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
6. Is the nursing home free from unpleasant odors? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
7. Are toilets convenient to bedrooms? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
8. Do noise levels fit the activities that are going on? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
9. Is it easy for residents in wheelchairs to move around the home? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
10 Is the lighting appropriate for what residents are doing? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
11 Are there private areas for residents to visit with family, visitors, or physicians? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
12 Are residents' bedrooms furnished in a pleasant manner? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
13 Do the residents have some personal items in their bedrooms (for example, family pictures, souvenirs, a chair)? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
14 Do the residents' rooms have accessible storage areas for residents' personal items? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
Other Things to Look For | Home A | Home B |
|---|---|---|
1. Does the nursing home have a good reputation in the community? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
2. Does the nursing home have a list of references? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
3. Is the nursing home convenient for family or friends to visit? | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
4. Does the local ombudsman visit the facility regularly | ___ ___ | ___ ___ |
