Nursing Home Care

Nursing Home Care

Nursing homes (also referred to as nursing facilities) provide the kind of around-the-clock care that is usually beyond the physical and emotional resources of families and friends. Nursing homes are able to provide a range of services from very skilled care for seriously ill people who require close medical supervision by a licensed nurse to custodial care, which is often provided by nursing assistants supervised by a nurse on a 24-hour basis. All states have licensing requirements for nursing homes and perform surveys to evaluate the quality of care.

If nursing home care is needed for yourself or a family member, investigate the facility first for answers to these important questions:

- Is it possible to visit the nursing home without an appointment?

- Is the building comfortable and in good condition?

- Is the staff competent, cooperative and friendly?

- Is the nursing home clean—including the bedrooms, bathrooms, dining rooms, recreation and therapy rooms, and other common areas?

- Is a physician available at all times for emergencies?

- Is the latest state inspection of the facility posted?

- Is the staff and facility licensed?

- Is a social worker available to help residents adjust to a new lifestyle?

You can tell a lot about a nursing home simply by walking around and observing the residents. Do they seem happy? Are they reasonably neat and clean? Do they use the recreation areas or stay mostly in their rooms?

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