Choosing the Right Nursing Home

Choosing a nursing home for a loved one is a big decision and one that should not be entered into lightly. Nursing home abuse and neglect are epidemic in our country, making it very important that you take your time to select a home in which the health, safety, and happiness of your loved one will be maintained. Sadly, even when you carefully select a home there is no guarantee against mistreatment.

If you are in need of a nursing home attorney, please contact The Cochran Firm online or by calling (800) 843-3476 to schedule a free case evaluation today.

The Medicare Rating System

Medicare has developed a rating system that rates nursing homes in nearly every area of the country. Homes that maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and patient care are awarded more stars and placed at the top of this list, which may seem to make selecting the right home relatively easy. Unfortunately, the Medicare ranking system is not overseen by Medicare. Information obtained for the ranking of homes is supplied by third-parties – in many cases, the homes themselves – and is often misleading or flat-out incorrect.

Nonetheless, the Medicare rating system is not useless – it can serve as a great starting point for selecting a home. It should not, however, be relied upon as your sole source of information about a home.

Self-Inspections

When selecting a home for your loved one, take time to visit more than once. During these visits look at how the staff is interacting with patients, the general appearance of those living in the home, and the home’s overall conditions. Unannounced visits are best as they allow for the most honest impressions.

Even after you choose a home, making frequent unannounced visits is necessary for the protection of your loved one. If you live out of town, ask a family member or friend to make these visits in your stead. Frequent visits allow signs of abuse or neglect to be noticed immediately, enabling swift action to be taken to protect your loved one against further mistreatment.

To schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced nursing home abuse attorneys, please contact us today. We maintain offices throughout the United States to better serve victims of elder abuse and neglect in all areas of the country.