Caring for an aging or disabled loved one can be a difficult task. Though you may feel as if you lack loyalty if you enlist outside help and want to do your best to provide needed care, trying to do everything alone may not always prove feasible. As a result, you may start considering the possibility of placing your loved one in a nursing home.

This decision may be a difficult one to make, but having professional assistance can often help ensure that your loved one receives the proper care that you may not always have the ability to provide. Of course, even after making this decision, you still face the task of choosing the right facility.

How can you choose?

Because the staff members at the chosen nursing home will hold responsibility for your loved one’s well-being, you will certainly want to ensure that they are fully capable of rendering a high quality of care and support for your family member. You may start exploring your options online or through referrals from others, but it may work in everyone’s best interests for you to visit potential homes in person. When you take this step, you may want to take note of various aspects of each facility, such as:

• Resident activity — Though your family member may need care, he or she may not need to remain bedridden. Therefore, you may want to notice what types of activities residents take part in and what type of socialization opportunities exist. Isolation can have negative impacts on individuals both mentally and physically, and if you notice this at a facility, it could act as a red flag.
• Staff attitude and activity — Noticing how staff members interact with patients and with each other could also have an impact on your decision. Facilities with staff who feel overworked or those that have too many residents may not provide the personal care your loved one needs.
• Environment — The overall environment of a facility may also play a significant role in your decision. If hygiene concerns exist, accidents seem frequent or there are not enough accommodations for disabled residents, it may not be the place for your family member.

Of course, even after making visits and finding what seems like the perfect place, issues with your loved one’s care may arise over time.

How can you address negligence?

Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and negligence do happen. Even facilities that seem to have upstanding reputations on the outside may play host to sinister actions. If you come to believe that your loved one has faced negligence or other abusive actions while in a nursing home, you may wish to find out more information on your legal options.