Skip to content

Choosing a Nursing Home

Michael Agruss

Written and Reviewed by Michael Agruss

  • Managing Partner and Personal Injury Lawyer at Mike Agruss Law.
  • Over 20 years of experience in Personal Injury.
  • Over 8000+ consumer rights cases settled.
  • Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Juris Doctor, 2004.

Making the decision to move your elderly loved one to a nursing home is often overwhelming. Finding the right home may seem like a daunting task, but with thorough research and proper care, the perfect fit is right around the corner. 

Moving into a home is a big decision, so make sure to include the individual’s doctor, family, and the individual themselves. You may also decide to include a social worker (either at a local hospital or in the community). By including everyone, you’ll ensure that you find the best possible fit.

The hardest part of choosing a nursing home may well be knowing where to look first. When searching for nursing homes to consider, use any resources at your disposal. The internet is a great place to start: nursing home databases allow you to search for and compare homes easily. For a more local perspective, reach out to your local health department, senior citizen groups, the local Social Security office, or the Department of Human Services. Talk to the individual’s doctor, clergyman, family, and friends to see if they know of quality options. As you research, make a list of recommended homes.

Once you have a list of nursing homes, it’s time to start carefully scrutinizing each one. Licenses are a good place to start. Homes that are licensed are required to keep conditions at the state standard and are monitored by the state. The most important licenses to look for are the Long-Term Care Facility license, which ensures the home is required to provide supervision or personal care to residents, and the Nursing Home Administrator license. If a home does not hold either of these licenses, you may want to cross it off your list. 

The kinds of services a home provides to residents are also critical. Residents may be allowed to continue receiving care from their primary physician, but if they are required to see an in-house doctor (on staff at the home), make sure you are aware of how often that doctor visits. 

The facility may also have other professionals, such as dentists, physical therapists, barbers, and social workers that visit the home to provide their services. The home should work with you and the individual to create a personalized care plan, and your loved one should have the final say when it comes to their treatment. Good nursing homes will allow residents to retain as many human rights as possible.

You may also wish to investigate the physical aspects of the home. A home close to a hospital, family and the individual’s primary physician is ideal. Choosing an urban or rural setting will affect how isolated your loved one may feel, and their personal preference should always be taken into account.

When visiting a facility, make sure you observe the conditions of the bedrooms, lobbies, and hallways. Do the hallways have handrails and are they wide enough for wheelchairs to easily pass each other? Are the lobbies and gathering places spacious, and are there activities for the residents held in them? Do the bedrooms have ample space and privacy for the individual, along with safety features such as handrails and a nurse call button? Answering these questions will bring you one step closer to locating the right place for your loved one.

The last thing you should consider is the cost. The cost of a home will vary based on the services the individual requires, so create an itemized list of recommended care and work with the home to determine what your cost will be. Figure out if the individual is entitled to Medicare or Medicaid by calling either the Department of Human Services office (Medicaid) or the Social Security office (Medicare). If the individual is not eligible for either of these services, consider private health insurance providers and determine if they cover nursing home costs. Be sure to compare the costs of several different options to make sure the home you choose is the best fit.

A good home will make your loved one feel like they are in a supportive community. They will have most of the personal freedoms they have in their own home and professional assistance where it is needed. Although this process may be time-consuming and overwhelming, with thorough research and plenty of input from the individual, both you and your loved one will feel confident and optimistic about your decision.

Submitted Comments

No Comments submitted yet. Sharing your story will help others!

We are listening

We will respond to you at lightning speed. All of your information will be kept confidential.

Form successfully submitted!