Whether you are looking for nursing home care for a loved one or yourself, you want to make sure the place you choose is going to be up to code, and a safe and comfortable place. Too often, there are news reports of elderly patients in nursing homes being mistreated, neglected or abused. How can you ensure that you or your loved one will get proper care?

Check Credentials
When it is necessary to find a nursing home, you must be sure the facility is licensed. Florida requires annual licensing and inspection. The inspections are carried out by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). If proof of these requirements is not available, be wary. The AHCA performs unannounced inspections. They are very thorough, covering a variety of aspects of patient care. Interviews are conducted with staff, residents and their families, visitors and volunteers. Medical records, facility policies and procedures are also reviewed in these inspections.

What Are People Saying About Nursing Home Care?
Reading reviews and talking to others who have experience with the facility you are considering can provide valuable insight. There are a variety of organizations that will give you some idea about the quality of care in the place under consideration. The AHCA also provides critical information about area nursing homes.

You can tap into the Nursing Home Guide, which is a listing of nursing homes by county and region. The rankings of facilities are based upon the deficiencies listed during the annual inspection. Using the online version will give you the most recent findings of the guide. This version is updated quarterly and posted on the Agency’s website.

What to Look For in Nursing Home Care
FloridaHealthFinder.gov provides consumers with detailed information about what to look for in nursing home care as well as steps to take when deciding which facility is best. There are varying types of care available. Do you need temporary care, such as that required for respite care or recovery from an illness or injury? Perhaps you are looking into more permanent, or long-term, care. Identifying the extent of care needed will help in your decision regarding which facility is best.

Talk to your healthcare provider for guidance about what kind of care is needed. Assistance during an injury will not look the same as care required for a person experiencing dementia. Even the stage of dementia can affect the level of care.

Providing a safe and comfortable place for your loved one or yourself is very important. Doing your homework, comparing facilities and services, and talking to staff and residents will lay a good foundation for finding the right place for your needs. At Frohlich, Gordon & Beason, P.A., we help individuals requiring legal assistance for personal injury and business litigation issues. We know the importance of finding the most qualified staff to handle important matters. Our excellence is known throughout Port Charlotte, Englewood, North Port, and surrounding areas. Give us a call when you have legal matters that require expert care.