Tips on Choosing a Nursing Home for Alzheimer’s Patients

Choosing a nursing or assisted living home for a loved one, with or without Alzheimer’s disease, can be a traumatic and difficult decision.  However, it’s likely someone in everyone’s family will need the services of one of these for short term recovery or permanent living.

I was involved with choosing a nursing home for my mom when her Alzheimer’s advanced to a degree where I couldn’t care for her at home.  I also have helped with an aunt, uncle, mother-in-law and father-in-law.

Here are a few tips I discovered useful:

*Start looking for a nursing home before you actually need it. 

*Check with others for recommendations, such as your family member’s doctor, state agency for the aging, and others that assist families with eldercare.

*Ask friends whose parent(s) or family member is in a nursing home.  I found the nursing home, where Mother stayed for nearly nine years, upon the recommendation of a friend whose mother was there.

*See what care facilities are available from part time to full time.  You may want to start using one part time as I did for Mother.

*Check your family member’s finances and what might be covered by other resources.

*If your family member needs assisted living at first or assisted care, see if the home you choose eventually will provide nursing care.  If they don’t, you will have to make another move when they reach that stage.

*Find books or guides with information on choosing a nursing/assisted living home.

*If your family member is able and willing, involve him/her in the choice.

There are a number of guides available for helping you choose a nursing home.  The following is a guide and workbook written by a nurse with 25 years experience.