Someone typed those words into goggle the other day….. And what did they find?
Not much I fear.
There is no list of nursing homes published with the best records. Nor is there a list of facilities with the healthiest or happiest residents and fewest accidents.
Nursing home are much like any other consumer business. Every facility has positives, maybe some negatives, and you as the consumer need to do you homework before committing.
Dan and I have written a great deal on the topic.
We want to spread the word that selecting such a facility, is neither an easy nor is it a simple process. It takes planning.
Here are some practical steps for choosing a Va. nursing home
1. Visit Medicare’s website to see what facilities in your area exist, and what their 5 star rating currently is. Although the rating does not tell the whole picture, it does rate the facilities on numerous care issues.
Visit Medicare’s Nursing home Compare website here.
2. Visit those facilities that are in your area. Do this while your loved one does not need the service. It is too late when the hospital social worker says Mom is being discharged in 3 hours and needs skilled care.
3. Talk to friends in the community about which facilities are best — ask a minister! Likely he or she has seen them all. I might even ask a primary care physician where he or she would put their mother in case of an emergency.
4. Once you have seen a few – ask you loved one if they needed care, would they be willing to go to these places? If not, better call home health right away and discuss whether this can be financed.
Good luck. I know that looking for long term care options is not fun, or easy. I know it is emotionally challenging and makes a difficult situation (someone’s declining health) even harder to handle.