The following article was submitted to Top-Drawer Resources by Amber Paley,who spends much of her professional life writing about nursing home abuse.  She represents www.nursinghomeabuse.net , non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of this crime. Here she offers a number of questions one can ask a nursing home administrator when considering the facility.

Shopping for a nursing home is something we all take very seriously.  You want to ensure that your loved one is not only somewhere they can call “home,” but somewhere they will receive the care they deserve.  When shopping for a nursing home it is imperative that you speak with each home’s administrator.  This will not only give you a chance to get a feel for how the nursing home is run and if it is up to your standards, but will ensure that it is being run by someone qualified.  Below you’ll find what you should ask administrators while visiting nursing homes; ask questions:

About the Administrator

• Are you licensed?
• How long have you been at this nursing home?
• Can family members of residents easily contact you?
• How often are you on-site at this facility?

About the Nursing Home

• Have you had any deficiencies reported in your most recent state survey or any in past surveys?
• If so, how did you fix the situation?
• Ask to see recent state surveys.
• Is this a licensed nursing home?
• Is this a private or public nursing home? (Private nursing homes have higher rates of deficiencies than public ones)
• Ask what the complaint/concern procedure is for the home.  Who do you report such things to and how?

About the Staff

• Do staff members undergo background checks before they’re hired? 
• Do all staff members take preventative abuse training?
• Do staff members get screened for abusive histories?

About Patient Care

• How many hours do staff members spend with each resident every day?
• What are the ratios of:
• Registered Nurse to resident?
• Licensed Practical Nurse to resident?
• Licensed Vocational Nurse to resident?
• Certified Nursing Assistant to resident?
• Physicians to resident?
• How often do residents get checked on a physician?
• Can residents use their personal physician?
• Are residents treated daily by the same nursing staff members?
• How often are residents weighed?
• Who decides if a resident needs physical restraints?
• How often do you use physical restraints on patients?

About Patient Safety

• Does your facility have isolation rooms in the event that a resident contracts a contagious illness?
• What steps do you take to contain a resident that exhibits verbal or physical aggression?
• What safety steps do you take to protect other residents from a resident that exhibits verbal or physical aggression?
• How does your facility handle emergency situations?
• When there is an emergency, which hospital does your facility take patients to?
• What safety precautions has your facility taken to ensure residents do not fall?
• What safety precautions have been taken to ensure residents do not leave the facility or that someone intending harm cannot enter the facility?

About Resident Quality of Life

• What activities does your facility host to ensure residents both enjoy their time here and exercise both physically and mentally? 
• Does your facility offer religious services, or at least a means to attend religious services?
• Where does your food that you serve residents come from?
• How often is the menu rotated?