Make Cleanliness a Priority

                                      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.