The Nursing Home Decision for Your Alzheimer’s Family Member

Deciding to place a family member in a nursing home constitutes a big decision for families and for that person.  Then researching and choosing a place can be overwhelming, too.

I knew, when I moved my mom from her home 275 miles to ours, that eventually I’d have to place her in a nursing home. Since I’d been through this with my aunt’s care, I realized that, at some point, caring for Mother would be more than I could manage.

So I began researching before I moved her.  I located a nearby nursing home that, fortunately for Mother and me, had daycare facilities and would take her for weekends whenever I have to be away.  When Mother needed full time care, it was easy to move her here.

However, that nursing home began to have financial difficulties and before long discontinued operations.  When I began to get a sense that I might have to move Mother, I researched other nursing homes. 

Fortunately, when I moved Mother, it was only about 1/2 hour away.  This nursing home came highly recommended by a friend whose mother stayed there.  I also visited, met the administration and some staff, attended a workshop offered there, and got a sense of the care and facility.  This home worked out well, and Mother lived there for eight years before her death.

For more information on choosing the right care facility for your Alzheimer’s family member, you may want to check out, Alzheimer’s Care: From Group Homes to Nursing Facilities at Everyday Health.com.