Your parent may find difficult the idea of residing in a New York nursing home, especially post-COVID, and you may also have a hard time picturing your mother or father living in one. Doing research and asking questions before selecting a nursing home can make the process easier on everyone by ensuring that your parent’s selection provides both a high level of care and quality of life.
U.S. News and World Report recommends asking these questions before choosing a nursing home or assisted living facility for a parent.
What is the staff-resident ratio?
Because many nursing homes suffer from chronic understaffing, which significantly impacts the quality and degree of care your loved one receives, it is most important to find a home that has a favorable staff-resident ratio is of particular importance.
Newsweek.com also has a ranking of the best nursing homes in New York.
How much turnover is there among employees?
Consider it a red flag if a particular home sees a high degree of employee turnover. This could be a sign of any number of different problems, from low pay and poor treatment of employees to low morale and job satisfaction among them. Your parent should be able to establish bonds with those who care for him or her, and this is difficult to do if staff members are changing on a regular basis.
Before moving a parent into a nursing home, it may also serve you well to speak with a few residents at each potential home. They should be able to give you an accurate sense of what life is like there without having any ulterior motives.