by Marshall Brown

Created on: December 24, 2008

HOW TO MAKE THE LIFE-CHANGING DECISION FOR A LOVED ONE

When an elderly loved one is recommended by a physician to be placed in a nursing home, there can be a large range of emotions that the family members feel. The first feeling usually results in terror or fear, Trusting someone else to meet the needs and personal demands on a daily basis, seems impossible. The fact is, that time has come, and a decision must be made. How will you be guaranteed that your loved one will receive the best care possible? How can you possibly find a home that they will be comfortable with? What is the help like, are they happy people, or bitter at their laborious daily task of pleasing and meeting the demands you would like them to perform?

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

These questions are very reasonable to have, and the answers to these questions should be met with the same concern. I have been a Certified Nurses Aide for over twelve years and I hope that my experience can help you make a decision. First you must recognize one myth, the media has played it out to seem that if the workers are asked if they are paid well, then that means they are happy workers. Not true! Yes, more pay is great; but, the pay rate does not create happy and officiant help. A lot of times, the jobs that pay well, are for good reason. They choose to keep staff to patient ratios low to maintain their budget. That means, more work, and less quality of work resulting in burnt-out help. I was not always paid well, but I would rather work for a home that supported and cared for their patients as well as kept a full staff. Far and above the State regulatory standards.

The first thing to look for, or should I say, smell for...... is odor. Not necessarily the smell of urine or feces, but also a musty, unkempt smell, like clothes that were exposed to moisture and sat out until dried. This means that there are a lot of "accidents" in areas other than the toilet. Why should that matter? If the help were properly pottying their residents, this would happen less often and the smell would not even reach your nose. Granted, accidents do happen, yet it should not be so often.

DROP-IN: SCOPE IT OUT

If you have the patience, and can spare a little time, come and make a visit on a weekend and just hang around the common area where it is permissible. Listen to the help, watch the body language between the residents and the workers. In one hour, you can see just what kind of help this nursing home has. If it is better for you to take

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>