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There comes a time in everyone's life when they can no longer care for themselves. Unfortunately not everyone has someone they can live with and let's face it, your children don't want to change your diapers any more than you want to change your parents. That leaves you two options. Option one, stand out side until someone feels sorry for you and takes you home. ( Hopefully they only want to feed you and nurture you.) And if that doesn't seem fesable then you can always due option two. Choose a retirement home that's right for you.

Most retirement homes have all the same basic amenites. Those required by law. They feed you five times a day. Three meals and two snacks. You get one shower a week and all your medications given to you from someone who hopefully knows your name. What matters in a retirement home is what you usually don't hear about. How does there staff rate with say the staff at the place down the road? And what is that smell when you first walk in the place? Every retirement home gets audited from the state on a regular basis so, all you have to do is look up that homes audit and you know how great they did on say the third Wednesday last month when everyone had the flu. Or five days after their big five cent raise. So if you want to know how they did one day out of a year then the audit's what you need. If you want to know the truth then here are some basic steps to take to find the best place for you to spend the rest of your life.

Talk to the direct care staff about key issuses. Never ask the administration if they for instance make there staff work every holiday and are always under or just at state minimums for staffing. An overworked staff means that they are or will be too tired to give you the time that you need to get proper care. Check the activites calendar. Make sure that not only do they have what you enjoy but that they also have those activities on a regular basis. Not everyone likes bingo. Remember this is where you'll spend the rest of your life. See if they go on outings, you might want to cross the street in the next millenium. Check the licenses of all licensed staff make sure that they not only have a valid nursing license but that they were never charged with abuse or neglect. This can be done online if you have the names of all staff caring for you. Talk to the residents of any retirement home that past all the other tests. Some things can change after visiting hours. Make sure that the additudes of staff and the care you get never does.

Remember that not all pretty homes are worth walking into, and definitly not all of them are worth staying in. Oh, and that smell is just someone needing a diaper change.

Learn more about this author, Hannah Mitchell.
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