Every year, thousands of older adults transition to nursing facilities. In some cases, older adults choose an assisted living facility. In other cases, family members decide to help older family members transition to a skilled nursing facility (nursing home). Choosing the best senior care facility can feel like a monumental task, but considering the factors explored here will help you choose the right nursing home.
What Should I Look for When Choosing a Nursing Home in Tucson?
There are two categories of factors to consider when choosing a nursing home.
Personal Factors
Suppose you’re searching for a place for your parent. Suppose you want them to be close to your location so you can visit often. In that case, the location may be a primary consideration.
Suppose you’re looking for a nursing home for yourself. You’re concerned about your health needs. In that case, you may favor a nursing home with skilled nursing services.
You may also consider social opportunities and the nursing home’s atmosphere. Some people like calm environments. Others prefer upbeat facilities where they feel energized. Your hobbies and interests may also be factors to consider, particularly if you have specific interests you want to pursue after your move.
Professional Factors
Unfortunately, incidents have demonstrated the need for greater oversight of long-term care facilities. Arizona’s government passed a law to ensure quality care for residents; however, you can still refer to Medicare’s checklist. This checklist prompts you to consider multiple factors, such as whether the staff and facility are Medicare-certified, whether there are staff with specialized training, what services are included in the fees, and which hospitals the facility uses for medical care. Using the checklist ensures you consider factors relevant to your decision and ask essential questions when assessing your options.
How Do I Assess the Quality of Care at a Nursing Home?
Review the facility’s inspection reports and confirm staff qualifications to ensure they deliver expert care. You can also talk to residents, staff, and family members of residents when assessing the quality of care the nursing facility provides.
What Are the Essential Amenities and Services a Nursing Home Should Offer?
The amenities and services a nursing home should offer depend on whether it provides skilled nursing care. It’s crucial to note these facilities differ from assisted living facilities in Tucson because they offer varying levels of support and no medical services on-site. Some people living in assisted living units (ALUs) live independently, and staff come to their apartments to clean, cook, or provide personal care. Others live in a community facility with a private or shared room, like the accommodations available in nursing homes.
All nursing home facilities in Tucson should provide the following:
- 24-hour staffing
- Activities
- Dietary services
- Game room
- Health and wellness programs
- Housekeeping services, including bedding, laundry, and cleaning
- Medication management
- Personal care
- Places to interact with visitors
- Seasonal decor
- Social spaces
- Toiletries
- Transportation
Skilled nursing facilities in Tucson should provide the following:
- Occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
- Skilled nursing care
- Speech-language pathology
- Wound care
How Important Is the Location of the Nursing Home in Tucson?
The importance of a nursing home’s location in Tucson may depend on the following factors:
- Proximity to family: You may prefer a nursing home close to your family members’ home so they can easily visit you.
- Proximity to friends: You may choose a nursing home because it’s close to where your friends live, making staying in touch easier.
- Proximity to medical facilities: You may prefer a nursing home near your doctor’s office or a hospital if you have health issues requiring hospitalization. While skilled nursing facilities in Tucson have medical teams on-site, some nursing homes don’t provide this level of medical care.
- Proximity to your community: Perhaps you’ve lived in Tucson for decades and frequent your local library. You have a cafe you visit several times each week, and you enjoy walks in your community park. You may choose a senior care facility near you that is close to places in your community you enjoy visiting.
What Qualifications Should Nursing Home Staff Have?
Direct care professionals are certified nursing assistants (CNAs) with training in nursing and direct care. Facilities must also comply with Ariz. Admin. Code § 9-10-412 guidelines by meeting the ratios for licensed nurses per resident and employing a full-time director who is a qualified nurse and ensures the nursing team provides appropriate care to all residents.
How Can I Evaluate the Reputation of a Nursing Home?
Head to Arizona’s Public Health Licensing website to review inspection reports. You’ll gain expert insight into the factors licensing officials consider when evaluating long-term care facilities and learn which nursing homes have an excellent reputation and which need improvement.
You can also supplement the information from the reports with the following:
- Search online: Perform internet and news archive searches for information about incidents at specific care facilities. News outlets typically report severe incidents, and residents’ family members may post about concerns.
- Talk to residents or family members: Accounts from residents or family members of residents at care facilities can give you a sense of the quality of care.
What Questions Should I Ask During a Nursing Home Tour?
Refer to the Medicare checklist when preparing questions to ask during tours. This checklist will prompt you to ask questions about the facility’s licensing, staff qualifications, fees, resident policies, medical care, and reputation.
How Do I Ensure the Nursing Home Meets My Loved One’s Specific Needs?
Talk to your loved one and their doctor to confirm their needs and wants. When it comes to a long-term care facility, your loved one’s wants should be treated as needs because they will not be happy in their new environment if they’re uncomfortable with the atmosphere or don’t have opportunities to pursue their interests.
Once your loved one moves to a nursing home, you should check in with them regularly and ask questions about their care and what they do during the week. Talk to staff to confirm your loved one has opportunities to pursue their interests and that they receive essential routine care. You should familiarize yourself with their staff team and ask questions as needed to confirm your loved one gets the care they need.
Choosing the Right Tucson Nursing Home
Finding the right nursing home in Tucson begins with identifying your loved one’s needs and finding a reputable, licensed facility that meets them and delivers expert, quality care. The factors discussed here will help you to know what to consider when choosing a facility where your loved one will thrive in their golden years.
Sources:
Ariz. Admin. Code § 9-10-412. (2024).
Beebe, J. (2024). Skilled Nursing Facility: What It Is and How It Compares to Nursing Homes.
Public Health Licensing. (2024).
Questions to Ask When You Visit a Nursing Home. (2022).
Valdez, A. (2024). Gov. Katie Hobbs signs law aimed at accountability for Arizona’s long-term care facilities.