Questions & Answers

Below are answers to common questions we receive. If you have a question that does not appear here, please contact us and we will be happy to help you.

• What is a nursing home?
• When is the right time to start looking for a nursing home?
• How do I get started?
• What is the next step after I decide what I am looking for?
• I want to make the most of my visit to the nursing home.
  How should I plan?
• What are the final concerns before committing to a nursing home?
• Does the state of Massachusetts make Department of Public Health survey results on nursing homes available to the public?

What is a nursing home?

A nursing home is usually a skilled nursing facility that provides around-the-clock supervision by nurses for persons either recovering from illness or with chronic medical needs. When a person needs 24-hour nursing care and supervision, a nursing home is usually the best choice.

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When is the right time to start looking for a nursing home?

Once you have decided that your loved one's health care needs will be best served in a nursing home, start the selection process at once. Making a well-informed decision takes a great deal of time and effort.

The wise consumer should follow these four guidelines for choosing a nursing home:

• Determine what criteria are most important
• Research potential choices
• Visit each facility at least once
• Weigh your decision carefully with the help of others

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How do I get started?

First, think through the prospective patient's situation thoroughly, and form a list of criteria in choosing a facility, from highest priority to lowest. Some common factors people consider when choosing a nursing home are:

• Financing options
• Quality and number of staff
• Location and visiting hours
• Physical condition of the facility
• Facility's reputation
• Style of the facility - elegant, home-like, or institutional
• Special services offered
• Accreditation
• Shared background with other residents

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What is the next step after I decide what I am looking for?

Now is the time to become an amateur sleuth, seeking out all available information on the nursing homes you have targeted after using your list of criteria. A few tips:

• Contact the Long-term Care Ombudsman Program at the Mass. Agency on Aging. Ombudsmen visit nursing homes regularly and investigate complaints, and can provide information on the latest survey report, any complaints against your targeted facilities, and ways to recognize high-quality facilities.
  
  
• Read everything you can, such as brochures from local senior centers and from the facilities themselves; articles from recent newspapers and magazines; and a locally-produced nursing home guide.
  
  
• Talk to people who may know about a facility you are considering: friends, relatives, neighbors, the family physician. Ask the facilities for references from their residents and families. Visit someone you know currently in a nursing home to familiarize yourself with this environment.

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I want to make the most of my visit to the nursing home. How should I plan?

Ideally, you should make at least two visits to a prospective facility - one tour arranged by the administrator, and the second, unscheduled, at a different time of day. The first visit will give you the basic information about the facility's physical layout, services, and philosophy, and will provide valuable access to staff. On the second visit, spend time with the residents, observing their physical appearance and demeanor. Find out how they feel about the facility. Observe areas not highlighted during your first visit. Also, take a friend or relative along; he/she may see things you have missed and later provide a valuable second opinion in some areas of uncertainty.

Because you will take in a near overload of information at each visit, it is wise to bring a written list of areas to investigate and questions to ask, so there is no confusion among facilities later on. Try to take notes during the visit, too, for future reference.

In addition to researching the areas that matter most to you, the following should not be overlooked during your visit:

• Obtaining clear information about Medicare/Medicaid eligibility and financing
• Making sure there are fire and other safety plans
• Inquiring about the working relationship between the facility staff and the potential resident's physician

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What are the final concerns before committing to a nursing home?

Once you are satisfied that you have the information you need to make a decision, take the time to review your notes. Confer with the person who accompanied you on the site visits as well as other persons whose opinion you value. Remember, your decision is not final until the contract is signed.

It is wise to obtain a copy before signing. Take the time to review it with your decision-making team and, possibly, a lawyer. Record any questions about the contract and present them to the nursing home's administrator or the ombudsman. Generally, a contract should:

• State the resident's rights as well as grievance procedures
• Clearly state the daily or monthly rate, as well as items separately billed
• State the facility's bed hold policy
• Indicate Medicare and Medicaid affiliation
  

For personal assistance in choosing a nursing home, please contact our caring administrators at Woodbriar Nursing and Rehabilitation Center at 978-658-2700.

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Does the state of Massachusetts make Department of Public Health survey results on nursing homes available to the public?

Yes, as a matter of fact the state of Massachusetts has recently released report card information available for all nursing homes through the internet. Report cards on facilities can be found at http://www.magnet.state.ma.us/dph/qtool/qthome.htm The results are also available by calling 1-800-493-8333. The state rates nursing homes on several key criteria including – Administration, Nursing, Resident Rights, Food Service and Environment. This can be a valuable tool as you narrow your search for a nursing home.

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