| In this article today I'd like to discuss several tips, tricks, | | | | church, ask people at your friends kids basketball |
| and techniques that you can use to find the best | | | | game... it doesn't matter if you really care about your |
| nursing home for your elderly parent or friend. Finding | | | | loved ones you'll do whatever is needed to get an "in". |
| the right nursing home, one that really cares about its | | | | While you are undercover there are a few things that |
| residents, is incredibly important because they are | | | | you should pay special attention to. First off notice the |
| worth it. | | | | overall level of cleanliness of the place and also of the |
| The fact of the matter is that very few residents of | | | | orderlies. The cleaner the place is and the cleaner the |
| nursing homes are actually beaten or are starved or | | | | orderlies are the better off you are. |
| severely hurt in any way. Sometimes however the | | | | Next watch the general staff members and how well |
| residents can be neglected which can be dangerous | | | | they interact with the residents. Are they kind and |
| depending on the age of your loved one. Unfortunately | | | | considerate or do they seem to ignore them or push |
| this happens even at some of the best nursing homes | | | | them around or speak harshly to them? This should be |
| but hopefully we can help mitigate it with the tips I'm | | | | fairly obvious to see. |
| going to give you today. | | | | Next observe the overall level of privacy throughout |
| There's no two ways about it, the only way you're | | | | the building. As you walk around are you able to peer |
| ever going to find out how well a nursing home | | | | into rooms and see residents being bathed or |
| operates is to go undercover yourself and snoop | | | | otherwise treated in a manner they would rather keep |
| around. People that you trust may recommend a | | | | private? |
| place, but until you see it firsthand you never really | | | | Finally you should talk to people who live there directly |
| know. | | | | as much as possible and see what they think about |
| Be sure not to schedule your visit before hand | | | | the place. Introduce yourself politely and ask how they |
| because nursing home employees will try to hide things | | | | like different parts of the place like the food or the |
| they don't want you see or at the very least steer you | | | | activities or the amenities or anything else. How freely |
| clear of areas they don't want you to see. | | | | do the people speak with you? In a well-run facility |
| The best thing to do is to go with a friend who has a | | | | people generally feel free to, well, speak freely even if |
| relative that already lives there and pretend to visit | | | | they are unhappy. A warning sign is when many of the |
| them. While you are "visiting" snoop around as much | | | | residents are scared to talk to you at all. |
| as possible. Roam around freely and if anybody asks | | | | So there you have several fairly common sense and |
| what you're doing tell them you got lost and ask them | | | | easy to implement ways that you can use in order to |
| for directions back to your friend's room. | | | | determine whether a nursing home is right for your |
| If you don't know anybody directly, you may have to | | | | elderly loved one. It can be a big decision but with a |
| widen your search. Ask people at work, ask people at | | | | little groundwork you should do just fine. |