5 Traits of the Worst Nursing Homes
5 Traits of the Worst Nursing Homes
By Geoff Williams, U.S. News & World Report, May 7, 2014
Horror stories abound of elder abuse and neglect in nursing homes and it can be very scary for families who need to search for options for a loved one. Choice Connections can help you find the best options in the Richmond and Peninsula areas so you don’t have to do it alone, without professional guidance.But, if you’re looking outside of this area and you want to avoid the worst of the worst nursing homes, what should you look for? Here are five red flags.A history of violations. Nursing homes are highly regulated by public and private agencies at the state and federal levels, but there are plenty of bad players in the industry. The good news is that if you do some research online, it's easy to find out if a home has a reputation for substandard care.Medicare.gov is a great place to start. It has a search tool that allows you to type in a ZIP code and compare nursing homes in that area. Medicare’s star ratings take into account factors like health inspections and staffing, and if you don't see many stars, keep clicking to read why in the nursing home’s full report.A number of severe violations. "The key is quantity versus severity," says Diana Pelella, a senior living advisor."A community could have one violation for someone wandering off campus, which is a highly dangerous scenario, compared with another community that has 10 violations for soap dispensers not being the correct distance from the floor," Pelella says. "Or they could be cited for cobwebs in the basement.”High staff turnover. It could be a telling sign if a nursing home is a revolving door for staff members.Check for the interactions between residents and staff – do they call residents by name? Do the residents look comfortable? Does the staff seem happy or discontent? How are staff and residents groomed?In a good nursing home, you would see staff communicating with residents in the way you would prefer and not talking down to them.The residents lack independence. If your parent has Alzheimer's or dementia, you don't want him or her wandering in and out of the facility. But you don't want your parent in a prison, either.According to Tamar Shovali, assistant professor of human development at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, "there are several studies where researchers concluded that nursing home residents have greater well-being when they are able to make decisions about their environment than when the staff made decisions for them."You feel uneasy in your gut. Sometimes, you just know when a nursing home isn't the place for your parent, says Michael Schulman, a member of an elder planning task force."Is the place neat and orderly? Is the staff dressed cleanly and neatly?" Schulman asks. "Do they show respect to the residents? Are they wheeled around? How does the place smell? First impressions do make a big deal."He even suggests checking the second floor if there is one. "Sometimes that's where they put the residents they don't want you to see," Schulman says.In other words, if the place gives you the heebie-jeebies, it’s best to trust your instincts and try somewhere else.