Your loved one is important to you. You want to make sure that they receive the best care and are taken care of no matter where they are.
Initially, you worked with a home health care service, because you felt it was best for your family member to stay in their home. Now, though, their medical condition has worsened. If you’re being honest, they need more advanced care than what they’re currently receiving.
That’s why you’ve looked for a good nursing home. It has been a struggle, though, because you’re not sure what to look for or what would set a nursing home apart from others. How can you know that this is the right place for your loved one?
One thing you can do is look into the nursing home’s ratings. You want to find a nursing home that is within your budget but also that meets the high standards set by the medical community.
You should also ask yourself if a nursing home is really the right choice. There are alternatives. For example, there are adult day cares, hospice programs, transportation and escort services, friendly visiting programs and congregate living arrangements that might work out well right now and eliminate the need to find a nursing home.
How do you know when it’s time to find a nursing home?
There are some signs that it’s time to move your loved one into a nursing home. They may include:
- When your loved one can no longer get dressed, go shopping or do chores on their own and can’t be supported by family or community services
- When your loved one needs 24-hour monitoring
- When there are medical treatments and care that need to be provided in a medical facility rather than at home
Of course, many of these issues can be handled in your loved one’s home with in-home care and other services, but you may find that it is more convenient and supportive to have them in a nursing home where they are able to have around-the-clock supervision and support from skilled nurses and doctors.
It’s not easy to make the decision to place a loved one in a nursing home, but if their health is deteriorating and in-home or community services don’t seem to be enough, it may be the right thing to do. You can look at a number of different facilities before you decide if this is the right option.