What to Look for in a Nursing Home -- Cleanliness
Having worked as a long term care nurse for many years, I think that cleanliness is the most important quality to look for in an assisted living or nursing home.
1. No strong odors
When I was a student nurse back in the 80's, I trained in a nursing home in Victorville, California. What I remember most about this facility is the pungent odor we smelled whenever we entered the building. The place reeked of urine! We used to say that the smell of urine was so strong that it was enough to knock you down. That facility used cloth diapers and paid a professional laundry service to wash them.
Nowadays, most facilities use disposable diapers. Disposable diapers greatly reduce unpleasant odors because they can be thrown away quickly. The facility doesn't have to save soiled diapers and linens for the laundry service to wash later.
It is important to remember that residents should not be wearing soiled diapers for hours. Nursing assistants should change the residents' diapers every two hours (if not more frequently.) This also reduces unpleasant odors.
If I smell urine when I enter a resident's room, I would wonder if that particular resident has a urinary tract infection. The nurses should be monitoring the residents to make sure they don't have infections.
If you feel overpowered by the smell of urine when you enter a facility, turn around and run. That is not the place where you want your elderly loved one to reside.
2. No clutter
There should be a place for everything in the resident's room. Some dementia clients hoard things, so the staff should make sure the residents don't have any inappropriate items (such as knives or another resident's belongings) in their rooms. No rugs or clutter should be on the floor because of the risk of falls.
3. Clean dishes and utensils
This is one of my pet peeves. I used to work in a small, family-owned facility in Texas. The pay was low and the only benefit that the owners gave to employees was one free meal per day. When I looked at the dishes and silverware, I discovered that the dishwasher did not do a very good job. The dishes and utensils were often dirty. The dining room looked dirty because the dietary staff did not wipe up spilled coffee. It didn't seem to bother the administrator or his wife because they ate there on a regular basis. Somehow, the administrator always knew when the state inspector was coming because he would leave the night crew a note to make sure the dining room looked clean.
But some of the employees stopped eating the food the facility gave to us. They said that eating the nursing home's food gave them the runs.
Frankly I would not want my loved one to reside in a dirty facility. Nor would I want my loved one in a facility where the employees complained that eating the facility's food gave them diarrhea.
Make cleanliness a priority when choosing a nursing home or assisted living for your loved one.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Don't Outlive Your Money
Almost 15 years ago, I worked briefly at a fancy, private-pay nursing home in Harker Heights, Texas. (I'm not going to mention any names, but at that time, all the nursing homes in that part of Texas were owned by one company.) Beautifully decorated, the facility was designed to attract retired doctors, lawyers and other professionals.
One of the residents was a lady who seemed to be in fairly good health. She did not require very much nursing care or supervision. She didn't have dementia. She only had to take one pill per day. To be perfectly honest, I did not think she was sick enough to require living in in a nursing home. She would have been a good candidate for a less expensive apartment for senior citizens.
The lady was a widow. She sold her home for about $75,000 and intended to live on the proceeds for the rest of her life. She decided that she wanted to live at the fancy, private-pay nursing home. She moved in and paid several thousand dollars per month to live there.
While I was working there, the lady was discharged. She lived at the fancy, private-pay nursing home for two years. She had used her entire life savings to pay for her stay there. Once she ran out of money, the fancy, private-pay nursing home did not want her any more. Why? Because the fancy, private-pay nursing home did not accept Medicaid. The lady was transferred to a less desirable, older facility that accepted Medicaid.
I was shocked. I considered $75,000 to be a lot of money. Since she had paid her life savings to the fancy, private-pay nursing home, I thought she should be allowed there for the rest of her life.
But that is not how it works. Some nursing homes and assisted livings have only a few beds for residents receiving Medicaid. If you outlive your money, many private-pay facilities will discharge you. You'll be sent to a facility that accepts Medicaid. That way, the fancy, private-pay facility can rent your room to someone who has more money than you do.
That is why it is so important for you to make wise decisions when looking for a place for your elderly loved one. Just because a place is ritzy or expensive does not mean it's the best place.
Last year I went on a job interview at a luxurious assisted living located near Tacoma's Narrows Bridge. Wealthy senior citizens pay thousands of dollars each month to live there. The woman who interviewed me told me that she had only one nurse for 110 residents. The corporation cut its nursing costs to pay for chandeliers and salad bars. But what kind of nursing care can one nurse provide to 110 residents?
Most people do not know how long their stay at a nursing home or assisted living will be. Your loved one might live there for a few months or for a few years. I once took care of an elderly woman who lived in a nursing home for 17 years before she died.
Consider all your options. Then decide what is right for you and your budget.
One of the residents was a lady who seemed to be in fairly good health. She did not require very much nursing care or supervision. She didn't have dementia. She only had to take one pill per day. To be perfectly honest, I did not think she was sick enough to require living in in a nursing home. She would have been a good candidate for a less expensive apartment for senior citizens.
The lady was a widow. She sold her home for about $75,000 and intended to live on the proceeds for the rest of her life. She decided that she wanted to live at the fancy, private-pay nursing home. She moved in and paid several thousand dollars per month to live there.
While I was working there, the lady was discharged. She lived at the fancy, private-pay nursing home for two years. She had used her entire life savings to pay for her stay there. Once she ran out of money, the fancy, private-pay nursing home did not want her any more. Why? Because the fancy, private-pay nursing home did not accept Medicaid. The lady was transferred to a less desirable, older facility that accepted Medicaid.
I was shocked. I considered $75,000 to be a lot of money. Since she had paid her life savings to the fancy, private-pay nursing home, I thought she should be allowed there for the rest of her life.
But that is not how it works. Some nursing homes and assisted livings have only a few beds for residents receiving Medicaid. If you outlive your money, many private-pay facilities will discharge you. You'll be sent to a facility that accepts Medicaid. That way, the fancy, private-pay facility can rent your room to someone who has more money than you do.
That is why it is so important for you to make wise decisions when looking for a place for your elderly loved one. Just because a place is ritzy or expensive does not mean it's the best place.
Last year I went on a job interview at a luxurious assisted living located near Tacoma's Narrows Bridge. Wealthy senior citizens pay thousands of dollars each month to live there. The woman who interviewed me told me that she had only one nurse for 110 residents. The corporation cut its nursing costs to pay for chandeliers and salad bars. But what kind of nursing care can one nurse provide to 110 residents?
Most people do not know how long their stay at a nursing home or assisted living will be. Your loved one might live there for a few months or for a few years. I once took care of an elderly woman who lived in a nursing home for 17 years before she died.
Consider all your options. Then decide what is right for you and your budget.
The Perfect Place
As a long term care nurse, I wish I could tell you that I knew of the perfect place for your beloved mother or father. But I can't. The perfect place does not exist.
All senior living facilities have their good points and their bad. Some places are better than others.
I hope to offer some good advice so that you will know what to look for when choosing a nursing home, assisted living or supportive living.
One of the most important decisions to make is if you would rather live at a facility or have a nurse or caregiver come to your home. Years ago, Washington stopped institutionalizing children. The state realized that living with their families was better for most developmentally disabled children than living at a state institution. Today, many developmentally disabled children have home health nurses and caregivers who come to their homes. Some of these children have nurses go to school with them to take care of their medical needs.
But home health nursing isn't limited to disabled children. A home health nurse or caregiver can be a wonderful alternative for seniors who need nursing care or assistance with activities of daily living.
All senior living facilities have their good points and their bad. Some places are better than others.
I hope to offer some good advice so that you will know what to look for when choosing a nursing home, assisted living or supportive living.
One of the most important decisions to make is if you would rather live at a facility or have a nurse or caregiver come to your home. Years ago, Washington stopped institutionalizing children. The state realized that living with their families was better for most developmentally disabled children than living at a state institution. Today, many developmentally disabled children have home health nurses and caregivers who come to their homes. Some of these children have nurses go to school with them to take care of their medical needs.
But home health nursing isn't limited to disabled children. A home health nurse or caregiver can be a wonderful alternative for seniors who need nursing care or assistance with activities of daily living.
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