As legal professionals, we know that choosing a South Carolina nursing home can be an overwhelming—and even scary—process for residents and families alike. But by preparing a list of the qualities you want and the questions you must ask, your loved one will soon be on the road to moving into a new home where professionals provide compassionate care and speedy help is always ready.

Read on and learn more about how to choose a South Carolina nursing home.

South Carolina Nursing Home Qualities to Consider

The well-being, safety, and health of you or your loved one are of the utmost importance when selecting a South Carolina nursing home, which is why getting recommendations from friends and doctors is an excellent place to start.

Do your due diligence and research the ratings of different nursing homes with both the U.S. News Best Nursing Homes tool and Medicare’s Nursing Home Lookup to find out the following:

• The type of nurse staffing the home provides, along with the amount
• The home’s diligence in meeting state standards for health and safety
• The home’s performance in critical medical and behavioral measures (e.g., the percentage of residents who receive annual flu shots and whether they get aid with their daily activities).

While research is an excellent place to start choosing a South Carolina nursing home, it should by no means be the place to stop.

There are numerous qualities and factors to consider when deciding on a South Carolina nursing home. The following list of nursing home qualities should be able to help you get a good jump on where to begin your search for you or your loved one:

• Proximity to family and friends
• A hospitable atmosphere
• Safety
• Sufficient staffing
• Compassion
• Staff retention
• Steady assignment
• Positive staff/resident interaction
• Accommodating visitation
• Interesting residential activities
• Purposeful tasks
• Decision-making power

Questions to Ask Your Potential South Carolina Nursing Home

You or your loved one want protection from nursing home abuse and neglect—something a South Carolina nursing home abuse attorney can always help you with—but how do you start?

First, create a list of potential nursing homes, followed by asking them these ten critical questions:

 

• Is your nursing home accepting applications for new residents? With this answer, you can cross potential nursing homes off your list quickly if the facility is not taking new residents. However, if it accepts applications for new residents, ask about the application and acceptance process, followed by scheduling a tour.

• Is my loved one’s doctor affiliated with the hospitals and specialists the nursing home uses? Suppose you or your loved one need to go to the hospital. In that case, it is best to go to a hospital you or your loved one’s doctor is affiliated with, and where they have admitting privileges to provide more effective coordinated care.

• Does my loved one get all the services they need at this nursing home? Not all nursing homes supply the same medical care for special conditions like diabetes, breathing issues, or wound treatment. Ensure the nursing home has the qualified staff it needs to care for you or your loved one properly.

• Do the existing residents appear clean, well-groomed, and happy? Residents may not be receiving the adequate daily care they need if they appear unkempt or uncomfortable. Out of the presence of staff, speak to residents about their experiences at the nursing home.

• Is the nursing home clean and inviting? As you visit the facility, check for dirt, clutter, broken lights, odors, and anything else you think is essential to consider.

• What is the mood of the staff? Overworked staff members may seem hurried, frazzled, overwhelmed, distracted, irritable, or confused. An understaffed nursing home cannot adequately provide you or your loved one the care they need and may even make matters worse.

• Is there an active resident council or family council? A right nursing home sees that patients have a chance to take part in their care and daily schedules with an active resident council. A family council supplies needed oversight and comfort.

• Does Medicare or Medicaid certify the nursing home? Ask the facility if they have certification by the Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) centers.

• Do the staff members have the proper licensing and certification to perform their jobs? Ask the staff members about their training, certification, continuing education, and background checks. The staff will be an extended family to your loved one, so you want to ensure that you can trust them like they were family.

• What is the cost of care at the facility? Find out what services are covered and what services cost extra. It is also vital to ask what your loved one’s health insurance will cover and which costs they need to pay out of pocket.

 

Contact Us

If you or your loved one has experienced nursing home neglect or suffered from South Carolina nursing home abuse, then look no further than the nursing home negligence attorneys at the Connell Law Firm. Since 1993, Connell Law Firm lawyers have helped victims of nursing home abuse and neglect with the treatment they endured. So, if your loved one has suffered from nursing home abuse or neglect, contact the Connell Law Firm today!