General Health Topic - Nursing Home Selections

Hello Everyone,

At some point in time almost everyone may be faced with a decision to place a loved one in a nursing home. It is a very difficult decision both for the person being admitted into the home as well as the family.

There are many nursing homes in your area. While I feel that most of the caregivers in the homes do care and try to do the right things, there are some homes that perform those duties better than others.

There is a website www.medicare.gov that lists 50 nursing homes that consistently fail to meet quality of care and safety standards. When you go to this website, click on "Compare Nursing Homes in your Area".

While it doesn't list the best homes in your area, it can alert you to the homes you need to avoid. And, according to Kerry Weems, acting administrator for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid services, in the May 15th edition of "Bottom Line", if your loved one is in one of the homes listed, consider moving to a better nursing home.

Hopefully this information can help in making this very difficult decision.

Until then,

Dr. Paul