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How can I ensure my family member will be provided proper care in the nursing home?
Federal law requires that all patients have a plan of care developed for them and the family must be included in developing that plan of care. Ask to see this plan and read it carefully; obtain a copy and keep it with you when you visit your family member to monitor the care provided. If the care plan does not address all of your loved one's needs, discuss this with the Director of Nursing. Ask if the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) who cares for your family member sees the care plan to know what daily care is needed. If they do not routinely review the care plan, the CNA may not know the special needs of your family member.
- Ask how many CNAs are on each shift and compare that to the total number of patients. Observe the CNAs to see if they can handle their workload.
- Make sure your family member is drinking enough water and eating well. Visit at mealtimes and check the food. Nutritious food and sufficient fluid intake is vital to help prevent diseases and to keep skin from deteriorating and breaking down into bedsores.
- Watch for weight loss by your family member. Good places to check for weight loss is the upper arm and calves.
- To check for dehydration, look at skin tone and dryness in the mouth and lips; pinch the skin on the forehead or chest. If the skin sticks together and leaves a ridge, dehydration could be present and should be brought to the attention of the nurses and doctors.
If your family member is immobilized in bed or a wheelchair, he/she is at risk for bedsores, also called pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers. Regularly check the pressure points on the buttocks, legs, elbows and heels to make sure that he/she is not developing pressure ulcers. These begin as reddened areas that do not blanche when pressed and released. If a pressure sore develops, contact the Director of Nursing and ask what changes have been made to the care plan to heal the pressure sore and prevent the development of new wounds. Pressure ulcers, if not treated properly, can lead to a life-threatening condition.
Residents with urinary incontinence require special care by the nursing home staff. As you frequently visit, make sure the linens are dry and clean. If the staff recommends placing your family member in diapers, ask what steps were made to frequently assist the resident to the toilet.
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