A hard decision to make but also one that may save your parent's life is deciding whether or not to send them to a nursing home.
Often times nursing homes are given a bad reputation and generally you've probably promised your parents that in their old age you would never send them to a nursing home. But the harsh reality is that you may have to send them. It may be that they suffer from an illness that requires more treatment than what you are able to provide at home because now they require more specialized care or it could be that your loved one is no longer safe at home due to repeated incidents of falling. Every situation is different BUT this topic will come up with most adult over 60 years old and generally the decision is that a nursing home is the best place.
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For the caregiver, the move to the nursing home should serve as a stress reliever to some extent but it is important to not disappear and stop giving care while your loved one is at a nursing home. Your parent still needs you to advocate for them and monitor the care being given to them by:
- Talking with their Doctors, Nurses, Therapist, etc.
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- Visiting them regularly and making sure the staff knows you
- And of course, your parent needs your love, warm touch,and companionship
In choosing a nursing home you will find that prices vary from place to place and your insurance will over cover so much of the care that will be given there. It is important to remember that even in choosing the most expensive nursing home it doesn't mean that they will be receiving the best care. Because of that, it is advised that you shop around and try to find the right place for you and your parent. Some things to think about in looking would be:
-Location; Is it located in a environment comfortable fro your parent and easy for you to get to to visit?
- Staff; Do you feel comfortable with the staff and their customer service? Are you pleased with the presentation of the level of care being given? (notice how they treat the residents that already live there)
- Look at the residents that are already living there; Do they look well taken care of?
- What services do they offer? What type of activities do the residents participate in?
It is a hard decision to make to put a loved one in a new environment and trust that they will be ok, but it is one that you will end up having to make. In doing that though, it would be wise to look at the big picture and make sure that where ever you decide to move your parent let it be somewhere that is comfortable for them and quality care is given
