Since many nursing homes are becoming more crowded and there is a shortage of nursing staff to take care of them, many times it is up to the families to monitor their loved one’s health. There are many ways to tell if an elderly person is being taken care of properly.

1. Ask the elderly person how they feel they are being treated. Sometimes this may be difficult because the person may be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or other diseases and might be able to accurately give an idea of how they are doing and how they are being treated.

2. Have a meal with the elderly person to see how the food tastes and make sure that the person is eating what they should be eating. Make sure if they are supposed to be getting the medication they are supposed to be getting at mealtimes.

3. Check the person’s body for bed sores and other injuries and ask questions if anything seems suspicious. If the behavior continues, file a complaint and find another facility.

4. Find out the facilities history to see if the facility has been sued in recent years of how many complaints of neglect have been filed.

One of the best things to do is to sit where the other residents sit and watch how the nursing, dietary, and housekeeping staff interacts with the residents. This will give a clear idea of what is going on in the nursing home. Sometimes neglect is unintentional, but other times, it can result in death or injury.

Proper medical care and nutrition are very important to monitor when a loved one is in a nursing care facility. Another area to keep a close watch on is the housekeeping department. How they clean rooms, lobbies, bathrooms, and other areas determines how good the care actually is at a nursing home. Even larger facilities should employ enough staff to ensure the building is clean and remains that way.
The truth is than many nursing facilities in an effort to save money, will only hire enough people to cover the shifts. This means when a person is absent or quits, it is then the nurse’s job to clean rooms. With many nursing stations understaffed, housekeeping can sometimes take a back seat. When visiting a loved one, there are a few items to check to make sure at least a minimum amount of cleaning is being performed.

• Clean bathrooms are a must. Elderly people will sometimes have trouble using the bathroom. Clean bathrooms that are sanitized are essential to keep bacteria from being spread.

• Use of gloves. When changing a resident or cleaning up the bathroom, it is important that housekeeping and nursing staff use gloves to prevent the spread of bacteria.

• Clean sheets. Another way to keep bacteria from spreading and a way to keep residents comfortable.

• Make sure the staff is wearing clean uniforms. Nursing and housekeeping should always wear clean uniforms before each shift.

These are just a few items to look at when paying a visit to a nursing facility. Since the elderly are prone to catching colds easily, living in a clean space will help keep them safe and healthy.