Things to consider before choosing a place
When choosing a new home for your loved one, the most important factor is staffing. Who is going to be caring for Mom? How many caregivers are there? What are their backgrounds and personalities? Is there enough staff throughout the day/week (or just the minimum required by law)? Do they genuinely care or have empathy? In a perfect world, the Administrator of the facility would thoroughly vet each caregiver and justly compensate them with adequate wages and due praise. But in reality, quality caregivers are hard to find and harder to retain, especially in the larger facilities where wages are seen as an obstacle to maximizing profits. Talk to caregivers, former and present, from facilities that you are considering. Buy them lunch and listen to their stories. They are on the front lines; putting the residents to bed, bathing them, toileting them, and working overtime because of staffing shortages. They will give you insight into how the facility operates, how the residents are truly cared for, and how management treats its people. Remember, the sales team will always paint a pretty picture in order to get you to sign a contract, whether or not the resident is an appropriate fit. And the truth is, most sales staff have never cared for residents nor would they know proper caregiver techniques if they saw them. The caregivers see it all. But be prepared to hear the truth: some of their stories will startle you.