Excerpts from the Elder Angel Online Resource Guide

Most of the time, our venture into the Skilled Nursing Home world is started with an unexpected trip to the hospital for our loved one. This can be due to a stroke, an infection (like pneumonia) and a fall with a broken bone. Occasionally this process is started when an elderly person has been slowly deteriorating from dementia, but even then there is usually an unexpected and stressful event that begins the process. Sadly, this makes for a lot of panic and the tendency to make bad decisions. I am writing this in hopes of giving people a reference book to smooth the process and help to communicate and coordinate with the professionals who will be caring for your loved one. 

With that said, here are 6 things to look for in a Skilled Nursing Facility.

1. Are the rooms and patients clean and "manicured"?

Is their hair combed, dressed if possible, no linens on the floor, etc. 

2. Check the Rehabilitation Department if therapy is needed.

Do they have nice equipment? Are staff members friendly?

3. Are they paging overhead?

Skilled Nursing Facilities should not be paging overhead. Hospitals still do, but not nursing homes.

4. How does the staff look?

Are they frazzled or friendly and smiling?

5. Check the dining area!

I'm sure you are not surprised that dining is very important to people in any environment. Is it pleasant? How does the menu look? What is their food ordering process?

6. Ask to see their last regulatory "Survey"

This is the annual visit by state regulators. Take it with a grain of salt, however. It's a very subjective process and oftentimes unfair.

For more details on this and other topics, please join my Online Support Group and Resource Guide:

https://elderangel.heierpower.com/membership_signup