According to the American Geriatrics Society, the number of individuals that are admitted into nursing homes has risen since 1994. Many of these individuals are admitted to an assisted living facility as soon as they are discharged from a hospital or after a sudden illness. Many factors contributing to this increase include age, low income, and poor family support. However, the occupancy rate in these homes has dropped to less than 90 percent. Many attribute this finding due to an increased amount of assisted care facilities.
Many people are unaware of how much nursing homes have populated across the U.S. In an article by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, currently, there are over 16,000 in the U.S. This accounts to approximately 1.7 million beds with 1.5 million
But how do you chose, what questions do you ask, and what should you consider before signing? Selecting the right nursing home requires proper research and knowing what to expect. Here are some tips that will help you make this a little less painful than it already is for the patient and their family.
1. Make a checklist on what type of activities, programs, location and other facts pertaining to the proper home that can comfortably accommodate the relative’s needs.
2. Research information about specific facilities.
3. Visit the homes you are interested in.
4. Check references from other residents relatives and friends.