Nursing homes shouldn’t be dangerous places, but they can be. There are many common complaints that patients and their families have, including poor food quality, slow responses to calls and staff-related issues.
As someone who wants your loved one to be as safe as possible, it is important that you look into these possible issues before choosing a nursing home. Here are some things to think about as you select the facility that you feel is right for your loved one.
Poor food quality
One of the best ways to know how the food in a nursing home is going to be is to sit down and have a meal there. Many nursing homes allow this, so that you can see the menu, get a taste of what residents are going to have for meals and can learn more about the nutrition and options provided.
When you try the food, make sure to talk about options for getting more if the resident is still hungry, what to do if they don’t like the options that day and how to guarantee that they’re getting the nutrients they need based on their required diet. If the facility can’t give you the answers you need, move on to another one.
Slow response times
If there is one thing that could be a problem, it’s a nursing home with slow response times. If your loved one needs to get to dinner, take medications, get help moving or needs to go to the bathroom, the nursing team needs to respond quickly. If the response time is more than what is reasonable, it’s important to find out why. Choose a facility with a good patient-to-staff ratio to prevent delays in responding to calls for help and support.
Staff-related issues
Finally, spend time getting to know the staff. If you notice that they are standoffish or that the staff has no time to greet or interact with you, that could be a sign of trouble. Find out the ratio of staff members to patients and get to know their backgrounds, too. You want an educated, well-trained staff that has enough support to care for all the people in the facility.
At the end of the day, these three issues can be avoided in a good nursing home. Take your time to ask about them and find the nursing home that suits your loved one the best, and there will be a lower risk of injury, neglect or harm coming to them.