My local newspaper, The Roanoke Times, recently published an article by Dr. Michael Camardi, an internal medicine doctor who spends a large portion of his professional time treating elderly patients in our area. The article (“Include the Patient When Selecting a Nursing Home“) starts out describing a family at wit’s end in caring for an elderly family member who needs around the clock attention. The know they need to find a good nursing home – but the question is how.
In the article, Dr. Camardi lists 11 separate and important considerations for families trying to find the best nursing home for their family member. The list is excellent and a must read for everyone dealing with this important decision.
I would like to add one more consideration to make it an even dozen. Watch out for “for-profit” nursing homes. They are not all bad but some put “profits over people.” On the the other hand, I have represented residents and their families in cases of elder abuse and neglect for over 15 years and I have never seen a valid case against a non-profit, religious-based/supported nursing home!