It is scary placing a loved one in a facility. I know—I had to place my mother-in-law, mother, and husband. Here are some ways to check on them:
Visit at random hours, and try to visit when it is not just during the set hours (before breakfast and after dinner). Be polite.
Observe when you are there. How is the staff treating others? Is staff hard to find? If you see something wrong, quietly take a photo and call the ombudsman.
Talk to other families, see if they have any concerns.
If there are problems, document them.
If you are checking out a facility to place someone, try to see if you can wander around unsupervised. If not, ask to look around. Use all of your senses. If your first impression isn’t good, it won’t get better.
I help families navigate their options. I keep track of facilities my clients like and those they don’t. I visit clients in facilities, and I work with placement experts. When problems arise, I try to solve them. I can be as sweet as honey or as bitter as vinegar.
