Searching for the Right Nursing Home

Posted on December 19, 2016

If the family is exhausted from taking care of your elderly loved one, it might be time to decide on a nursing home instead. Here are some questions to help you determine the best nursing homes in Florida:

Is the food palatable?

Pay a visit to the home and take a meal with your elderly loved ones in the cafeteria. It's an easy way for you to know what kind of food your loved ones will get. Is it palatable? Will it meet with their dietary requirements? However, if your loved ones are on a low-sodium diet, taste might not necessarily matter.

What do you see and hear?

Walk through the halls. Take in every aspect of the facility. Do you hear residents groaning help? That might be the dementia talking. Do you spot any signs that the residents are being maltreated or worse, abused? It might not be easy to spot the signs so be extra vigilant. One clear indicator, though, is how the staff address patients. Are they respectful? If you think something's fishy or off, that could be a flashing red flag, one you shouldn't ignore.

Is the staff overworked?

Do the nursing assistants work more than they should? Are there a ton of double shifts along with overtime? That could affect patient care. If the staff is understaffed and overworked, that could mean there aren't enough hands to go around. Your loved one's care might be neglected. That's something you wouldn't want to happen.

Does it smell?

While it's normal to encounter a lot of unpleasant odors-medication can make people more gassy. Also, incontinence is a problem for many seniors-it's not normal for halls to smell of stale urine. That only happens if the cleaning crew doesn't strip and rewax the floors to get rid of the smell. If this is the case, you might want to check out a different facility.

What kind of activities are available?

Do you see the residents out at the nurses' station? Are they comfortable enough? What kind of activities do they do? Do you think your elderly relatives will benefit from those activities? Great nursing homes in Florida have a full-load of daily activities and a busy calendar. Look these over to see which activities will be fun for your loved ones.

For more details about nursing homes, visit us at Senior Living Resolutions. We'll be happy to provide you with the information and assistance you need.