Newsletters Tablets & E-Readers Mobile Shop Our Store Offers From Our Advertisers Sweepstakes Customer Care Contact Us Get Our Best Deal! Subscribe Give a Gift Large Print Digital Editions HEALTH COOKING ADVICE HOME TRUE STORIES JOKES GAMES THE DIGEST DIET Homepage > Health > Health Care > 50 Secrets a Nursing Home Won’t Tell You What you need to know—but probably don't—to ensure that your loved one is happy, cared for, and safe. By Michelle Crouch from Reader's Digest Magazine | April 2013 SEARCH 1.22M 47K Follow Us Enter Location City, State or Zip Select Housing Type Assisted Living Get Free Information Seniors For Living Sponsored listings of facilities other than nursing homes are presented by Seniors for Living. Like 1 of 11 Next • How do you know it’s time to start looking at nursing homes for a loved one? "If you have concerns about safety, about his being able to keep track of his medications, about whether he’s eating enough and eating healthfully, he’s probably ready to go. It gets to a point where you have to say, ‘This can’t go on any longer.’ ”—Richard L. Peck, former editor of Long-Term Living magazine and author of The Big Surprise: Caring for Mom and Dad • "The best time to visit a nursing home you’re considering is 6 p.m. on a Saturday. Dinner has been served, few if any managers will be in the facility, and it’s likely that no marketing people will be there. You’ll get a true picture. Talk to staff and family members of residents about what they like and don’t like.”—A California nursing home administrator • “Consider the noise level. Most nursing homes have double rooms, with two patients, each EMAIL PRINT Sally Llanes/Getty Images READERSDIGEST.COM HEALTH COOKING ADVICE HOME TRUE STORIES JOKES GAMES Shortcuts: Newsletters Tablets & E-Readers Mobile Shop Our Store Offers From Our Advertisers Sweepstakes About: Media Kit Contact Us Your Privacy Rights Terms & Conditions RDA Corporate Site Reader’s Digest Magazine: Subscribe Customer Care Tablets & E-Readers More RDA Brands: Taste of Home The Family Handyman Select Editions Reader’s Digest International Editions © 2013 The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. 50 Secrets a Nursing Home Won't Tell You | Reader's Digest http://www.rd.com/slideshows/50-secrets-a-nursing-home-wont-tel... 1 of 4 6/2/13 7:12 PM
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Newsletters Tablets & E-Readers Mobile Shop Our Store Offers From Our Advertisers Sweepstakes Customer Care Contact Us
Get Our Best Deal!SubscribeGive a GiftLarge Print
Digital Editions
HEALTH COOKING ADVICE HOME TRUE STORIES JOKES GAMES THE DIGEST DIET
Homepage > Health > Health Care >
50 Secrets a Nursing Home Won’t TellYouWhat you need to know—but probably don't—to ensure that your loved oneis happy, cared for, and safe.
By Michelle Crouch from Reader's Digest Magazine | April 2013
SEARCH
1.22M 47K
Follow Us
Enter Location
City, State or Zip
Select Housing Type
Assisted Living
Get Free InformationSeniors For Living
Sponsored listings of facilities otherthan nursing homes are presentedby Seniors for Living.
Like
1 of 11Next
• How do you know it’stime to start looking atnursing homes for aloved one?
"If you have concerns aboutsafety, about his being able tokeep track of his medications,about whether he’s eatingenough and eating healthfully,he’s probably ready to go. It getsto a point where you have to say,‘This can’t go on any longer.’”—Richard L. Peck, former editorof Long-Term Living magazine
and author of The Big Surprise: Caring for Mom and Dad
• "The best time to visit a nursing home you’re considering is 6 p.m. on a Saturday. Dinner hasbeen served, few if any managers will be in the facility, and it’s likely that no marketing peoplewill be there. You’ll get a true picture. Talk to staff and family members of residents about whatthey like and don’t like.”—A California nursing home administrator
• “Consider the noise level. Most nursing homes have double rooms, with two patients, each
EMAIL PRINT
Sally Llanes/Getty Images
READERSDIGEST.COM HEALTH COOKING ADVICE HOME TRUE STORIES JOKES GAMES
Shortcuts: Newsletters Tablets & E-Readers Mobile Shop Our Store Offers From Our Advertisers Sweepstakes
About: Media Kit Contact Us Your Privacy Rights Terms & Conditions RDA Corporate Site
Reader’s Digest Magazine: Subscribe Customer Care Tablets & E-Readers
More RDA Brands: Taste of Home The Family Handyman Select Editions Reader’s Digest International Editions
© 2013 The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.
50 Secrets a Nursing Home Won't Tell You | Reader's Digest http://www.rd.com/slideshows/50-secrets-a-nursing-home-wont-tel...
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with her own TV, often with dueling channels on, blaring. Sometimes you’ll hear odd cries andcalls from residents. Older homes have overhead paging systems that everyone can hear;newer ones have wireless devices that are much less obtrusive. Take a moment on your tour tojust listen.”—Richard L. Peck
• “What should you look for? I always say staffing, staffing, staffing. Our recommendation fora daytime staff-to-patient ratio is one to five. One should be a direct caregiver, like an aide. Werecommend one to ten during the evening shift, and one to 15 overnight. If you have residentswith dementia who need lots of monitoring, you need to staff up.”—Robyn Grant, director ofpublic policy and advocacy at the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care
• “If it smells like urine, that’s obviously a bad sign. But if all you smell is pine cleaner, I’d be alittle suspicious about that, too, wondering what odors it’s covering. What you want the placeto smell like is a clean home, with no strong scent that’s good or bad.”—Richard L. Peck
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John Bradley • 2 months ago
As an adviser I try to tell people purchase LTC coverage to help protect your estateand your heirs. It breaks my heart to see families have to liquidate their inheritanceto pay for care. It's a big mistake/little mistake issue. If you have it and don't needit - little mistake. If you need it and don't have it - BIG mistake.
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Julie Cason • 17 days ago> John Bradley
Yes, but my parents' LTC company went broke, and so many more aren'twriting useful policies anymore. What say you to that?
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You gotta discharge-sorry • 12 days ago
I agree with all except the one about the discharge planners. You have to stay 3midnights in the hospital to get Medicare to cover the care in a long term carefacility, but if your condition does not require hospitalization after day three, you dohave to discharge the hospital, whether you have found your optimum facility ornot. Your statement is extremely misleading. People can't just hang out in thehospital while taking days and days to shop nursing homes. Right or wrong, that isthe reality.
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