What makes an ideal nursing home? 5 qualities to look out for
Did you know that over one million people in the UK will have dementia by 2025?
Some of those patients will have family members to take care of them. But most will have to go to nursing and care homes.
It wouldn't be a problem if all nursing homes high standards of care. But the shocking truth is, abuse and neglect are present in 9 out of 10 senior care facilities.
Before you lose all hope though, it's important you know that there is an ideal nursing home for your loved one. You just have to look a little bit harder for it. To make your search easier, here are 5 qualities all the best nursing and care homes have.
1. Respect for Residents
A good nursing home employs enough staff who treat each resident as a unique individual. They're the mood-makers, the ones who make a senior care facility feel safe and homey.
When you visit prospective nursing homes, take note of how the staff behaves around residents and visitors. Do they look friendly and caring? Or do they seem overworked and under pressure?
Don't forget that staffing will dictate the quality of care in a nursing home. Residents in an understaffed care home have an increased risk of malnutrition and infections.
2. Wide Range of Activities Offered
You can spot the best care nursing home not only for the way staffers treat patients, but also the activities offered on a daily basis.
Not all residents will enjoy bingo or checkers. And even if they do enjoy these games, there should be a variety of social, physical, and creative activities for them to try.
Activities outside the nursing home should also be part of the program. A good example would be arranging for pets to visit the care facility.
3. Open Visiting Hours
A well-run nursing home doesn't have anything to hide. You should be able to visit your loved one anytime. Or if you want to stay overnight in case your mom or dad had surgery or is sick, the nursing home should be able to provide a bed or a room you could use.
4. Nice Extras
What do nursing homes provide? The basics include a safe and clean environment, good food, pleasant residents' quarters, and lots of professionals (nurses, counselors, physicians, etc.) on standby.
But the best care homes also offer nice extras. These include internet service, library/reading room, art classes, beauty salon/barber shop, and chapel.
5. Active Leadership
A care home cannot provide a high level of care if it doesn't have strong leaders. From your first visit, you should know who is in charge and how they run the place.
Talk to the managers. Make sure to get an insight into their leadership style and how they perform their responsibilities. Ask how they support their staff.
Do they have the right qualifications? Are they flexible enough to adapt to technological innovations in senior care? Do they use care planning software?
These are just some of the questions you can ask when you interview nursing home managers or administrators.
Is the Ideal Nursing Home Hard to Find?
If you still haven't found a nursing home that would provide the best quality of care for your loved one, don't give up. It's better to take your time and consider all care options rather than leave your elderly relative in a place riddled with staffing problems and poor reviews.
Research is your friend. Don't limit yourself to recommendations from family and friends. Go online, visit nursing homes, and be as thorough as you can when interviewing managers and staffers.
Let Us Help You!
We know that finding the ideal nursing home is tough. Let us make your search easier. Aside from knowing the qualities of a good care home, you can check out this article to know more about the Your Care Rating survey.
For more related articles, feel free to browse our site.
