Things You Must Be Aware of Before Sending Your Parents to a Nursing Home
The time when you’ll have to send your parents to a nursing home will eventually come – sooner or later. Depending on how they lived their lives or the illnesses they have, they may be bound to be sent to a nursing home.
However, nursing homes shouldn’t be seen as some sort of death – as many people online consider. Instead, they should be considered as places where our elders can receive the care that we may not be able to offer them.
Still, some issues could make a nursing home unfit to host people. You may not be sending them to death, but you’ll definitely make their final years worse if you don’t take a look at the following things!
Federal Regulations
Unlike hotels and hostels, nursing homes must respect a lot more regulations if they want to host elderly people. As such, nursing facilities must be able to provide their guests with:
- A room with natural light and orientation to seasons and weather via a window.
- A bed of height and size appropriate for the guest.
- A mattress that is comfortable, first of all, and clean or cleaned regularly.
- Climate- and weather-appropriate bedding.
- Furniture that can fulfill the needs of the guest – this includes storage spaces for clothing, as well as a separate closet.
In short, the nursing home must be able to provide your parents with a homelike environment – and not with one that resembles a hospital. This is one of the first things that you should check before choosing a nursing home. You could also rely on advice from nursing home neglect lawyers if you feel like something’s wrong with a certain nursing home!
Items and Services
Then, you should also find out what is included in the fee that you have to pay for the care of your parents. This is to make sure that your elders are given everything they may need.
For example, ask if towels and new beddings are provided regularly, if the guest has cable in their room, if the latter can be equipped with a refrigerator, or if and how you or the nursing home can better accommodate the guest.
This is also your chance to find out if the services they offer match the price, as many nursing homes often overcharge for nothing more than new bedding and minimal daily care.
Their Luggage
Even if your choice of nursing home comes with everything your parents could wish for, you’ll still have to prepare their luggage. Besides the common clothing items, personal care products, and linens, you should also pack the following:
- You should pack some technology items to keep boredom away. While your parents may not actively use a smartphone, they may do so once they’re in the nursing home – especially to keep in contact with their grandkids.
- You should pack things to decorate their new room – such as flowers, plants, seasonal items, and so on. This is to make the room feel more like home.
- You should also pack some of their favorite things. Those of us who lived in a campus know how hard living in a new room can be without your favorite items. As such, grandpa’s baseball glove or hat shouldn’t be kept home!
The Bottom Line
In short, you have to be aware of the fact that not all nursing homes provide exceptional service for the price they charge, some of them may not respect federal laws, and your parents shouldn’t feel like they’re sent away.
Choose a nursing home that will feel like a second home for them!
References and Sources
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/moving-into-a-nursing-home-a-checklist-209625.htm
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