Your father requires long-term care. You know it and so does the rest of your family. He no longer can function independently, and his health continues to fail. While family members have worked in shifts to allow your father to remain at home, this is no longer a workable or realistic situation.
It is time to lay the research groundwork in finding the right nursing home where your father will likely live until he dies. There are many things to consider. How much will it cost? How good is the care? How reliable are the management and staff? What types of activities are available at the facility? One by one you must answer these questions in determining the right nursing home for your father.
Consider costs, visit the homes
When considering a nursing home, here are some crucial matters to consider:
- Start your research and meet with relatives and friends who dealt with similar situations. Your findings should determine an initial list of potential facilities.
- Have a firm understanding of the costs of living in a nursing home. Expect annual expenses to be more than $100,000.
- Many senior citizens living on a limited income depend on Medicaid to pay for long-term nursing home care. It is crucial that when researching potential homes for your loved one that you find such a place that accepts Medicaid.
- Visit each prospective home and talk with administrators and staff members. Consider the cleanliness of the facilities. Determine how well the staff interacts with residents. Make sure to check out the meals served and the kitchen, too. And it would not hurt to make announced visits. Also, get to know the management and staff. You want competent people in these roles as well as a nursing home with low staff turnover.
- Review the nursing home contract. There are likely many details you do not understand, so make sure to ask plenty of questions. And enlist a trusted friend, family member or attorney to read the contract before you sign it.
You also want to make sure that your father and family are comfortable with the new home and its facilities. Granted, this represents a difficult time, but doing thorough research may provide you with great peace of mind as well as a solid nursing home.