Selecting a Nursing Home
A Basic checklist for picking the proper care service for your elder.
Basic Information
- The nursing home is Medicare-certified.
- The nursing home is Medicaid-certified.
- The nursing home has the level of care you need (e.g. skilled, custodial), and a bed is available.
- The nursing home has special services if needed in a separate unit (dementia, ventilator, or rehabilitation), and a bed is available.
- The nursing home is located close enough for friends and family to visit.
Resident Appearance
- Residents are clean, appropriately dressed for the season or time of day, and well-groomed.
Nursing Home Living Spaces
- The nursing home is free from overwhelming unpleasant odors.
- The nursing home appears clean and well-kept.
- The temperature in the nursing home is comfortable for residents.
- The nursing home has good lighting.
- Noise levels in the dining room and other common areas are comfortable.
- Smoking isn’t allowed or may be restricted to certain areas of the nursing home.
- Furnishings are sturdy, yet comfortable and attractive.
Nursing Home Staff
- The relationship between the staff and the residents appears to be warm, polite, and respectful.
- All staff wear name tags.
- Staff knock on the door before entering a resident’s room and refer to residents by name.
- The nursing home offers a training and continuing education program for all staff.
- The nursing home does background checks on all staff.
- The guide on your tour knows the residents by name and is recognized by them.
- There are licensed nursing staff 24HRS a day, including a Registered Nurse (RN) present at least 8 HRS per day, 7 days a week.
- The same team of nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) work with the same resident 4 to 5 days per week.
- CNAs work with a reasonable number of residents.
- CNAs are involved in care planning meetings.
- There is a full-time social worker on staff.
- There is a licensed doctor on staff who is there daily and can be reached at all times.
- The nursing home’s management team (including the Director of Nursing and the Administrator) has worked together for at least 1yr.
Accomodations
- Residents may have personal belongings and/or furniture in their rooms.
- Each resident has storage space (closet and drawers) in his or her room.
- Each resident has a window in his or her bedroom.
- Residents have access to a personal telephone & television.
- Residents have a choice of roommates.
- Water pitchers can be reached by residents.
- There are policies and procedures to protect residents’ possessions.
Food & Menus
- Residents have a choice of food items at each meal.
- Nutritious snacks are available upon request.
- Staff help residents eat and drink at mealtimes if help is needed.
Residence Safety
- The nursing home has an emergency evacuation plan and holds regular fire drills (bed-bound residents included).
- Residents get preventive care, like a yearly flu shot, to help keep them healthy.
- Residents may still see their personal doctors.
- The nursing home has an arrangement with a nearby hospital for emergencies.
- Care plan meetings are held with residents and family members at times that are convenient whenever possible.
- The nursing home has corrected all deficiencies (failure to meet one or more Federal or state requirements) on its last state inspection report.
Elder Acctivities
- Residents, including those who are unable to leave their rooms, may choose to take part in a variety of activities.
- The nursing home has outdoor areas for resident use and staff help residents go outside.
- The nursing home has an active volunteer program.
