While it’s something that most of us would rather not think about, the truth is that many of us will eventually need the services of a nursing home for ourselves or a family member. Choosing one can be challenging, especially since they vary so greatly in quality.

Where to Start
These resources will help you choose some nursing homes to look at:

Before you visit, check reviews of nursing homes, and call to make sure they have available beds. Also, be sure you know how you will pay for the care.

What to Look For
When visiting a nursing home, look to see if residents are engaged in activities or just being warehoused. Are residents in pajamas all day? Do the staff know the residents by name? Is food available at times other than mealtimes? Are there enough staff helping residents at meals?

What to Ask
Ask about staffing and the staff turnover rate, which could indicate a poor working environment. Ask what proportion of staff are from temporary staffing agencies. (Temporary staff will not know the residents, or their needs, as well).

Speak to current residents and their families to find out about things such as timeliness of providing medications and meals, and responsiveness of staff to call buttons. Delays are usually a bad sign.

Choosing a nursing home is a difficult, and often emotional task. While we cannot help you with your choice, we can help you figure out how you will pay for it, and help set your estate up in a way that best protects your assets. As caring and knowledgeable elder law attorneys, this is exactly what we do. We are only a phone call or e-mail away.

The information provided herein does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available here are for general informational purposes only.