What to Do When a Loved One is in a Nursing Home

Having a loved one in a nursing home is never easy. There’s a lot of things that are always out of your control. If you choose a great facility with high quality staff, nurses, and caregivers, your worries are probably going to be minimal. Unfortunately, this isn’t always something that we have a lot of control over. Whether it’s because of reasons of location, price, or something else, great nursing home care might be out of reach. In these cases, you have many options at your disposal still. They might take a bit of effort on your part, but it is important to put the needs of your loved one first.

 

Having a loved one in a nursing home doesn’t mean that you have no control over the quality of care that they receive.

 

First, consider whether or not a nursing home is actually a necessity. Studies have shown that nursing homes are often not the right place for many of those residing in them. Nursing homes serve a very important purpose, but they are best for those individuals who have an extensive set of medical needs and require around the clock supervision. In other cases, many are in nursing homes because that is what their insurance would pay for. Today, insurance laws are beginning to change, and this isn’t always the case. In fact, this is helping a lot of seniors stay within their own homes, and live the lives that they desire to for longer periods of time. There’s a chance that your mom or dad might fall into this category. If they do not have a lot of medical needs, they may even receive a higher quality of care outside of a nursing home.

 

Next, if your loved one is in a home, and that is likely where they are going to be for the rest of their life, it’s important that you keep an eye on the quality of their care. Asking questions is a good start to this. Start with your parent, if they are cognitively able to answer questions like this. Asking them who comes in to see them, what they do, how often, and what their thoughts are about this can give you a general feel for what’s going on. Other questions can also give you a good idea of the quality of care. Ask about what they have been eating, what activities they’ve taken part in, and similar questions. Care is about more than mere survival. Even in a nursing home, seniors should have a chance to take part in fun activities and have a decent meal several times a day.

 

Finally, don’t be afraid to take action. Many publicly funded nursing homes have ombudsman positions where community members can play a role in executive decisions that are made within the facility and be an advocate for the residents. If you want to make an impact on the life of your elderly loved one while they receive care in a nursing home, this and opportunities like it, can play a large role in making sure that the people you love have a better life while they receive care in a nursing home.

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