When it comes to caring for your elderly relatives, one of the biggest decisions to make is picking the right home for them. At the end of the day, if they’re going to be staying at a care home, you want to make sure that it’s the best one around and that it provides all of the right care and services that you’re looking for.
Unfortunately, a lot can happen behind closed doors at a care home. As we’re going to be explaining below, it’s not always happy and positive, even if they appear to be on the surface. So what can you do to make sure that your elderly relative will be safe, happy and healthy in their care home?
Check if They Have a Waiting List
If there’s currently a waiting list for the care home then it’s a good sign that they’re rather popular and should deserve your attention. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to use this alone to gauge the quality of their service. However, if there is a long waiting list to get into the care home, it’s well worth consideration.
Just make sure that you don’t get on the waiting list at the last possible moment. Waiting lists can be incredibly long and it’s always best if you plan ahead of time.
Try to Speak With Other Residents if Possible
First, make sure that you try to speak to other residents if possible. This will ensure that you’re always getting a proper view of what the care home is capable of what goes on behind those closed doors.
There are times when some nursing facilities may actually fail many inspections yet still operate due to poor processes involved in shutting them down. For example, Sandpiper Rehab and Nursing is a 176-bed facility that failed multiple inspections from 2016. They failed to provide care for residents, failed to ensure they were safe from serious medication errors and even failed to store, cook and serve food in a safe and clean way for the residents.
Issues like this can put your loved ones in serious danger. It’s extremely important that you focus on picking a care home that is right for your elderly relatives, so make sure you get opinions from other residents if possible to see what the place is like.
Choose a Care Home That Is Accessible for You
It’s also ideal to pick a care home that is close to you if possible. This will ensure that your elderly relative is never too far from you and that you can visit them whenever you need to. This will help them get settled in their care home because they’ll still get to see you on a regular basis.
However, do make sure that you’re not just picking the closest care home. While distance is a factor that you should consider, you should always choose one that is reputable and is known for taking good care of its residents. Never a good service for convenience!
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