Choosing and deciding on a skilled nursing facility (SNF) can be overwhelming. There so many to choose from, especially if you are living in or near large cities. When I meet with families to talk about options for skilled nursing facilities, I’m required to give them a list of all the available facilities in their area. That is a very long and daunting list.
You can find a list of skilled nursing facilities on Medicare.gov
The first question they ask me: which facility do you recommend?
Unfortunately, my job and position does not allow me to give my personal recommendations. I’m not allowed to favor one facility over another, instead I am to encourage families to research and discover on their own.
It’s not their first choice and it is certainly not helpful for them when they really have no idea where to start with this list of 30+ facilities.
They aren’t sure when the physician is going to release their loved one and they do not have the time to go to each facility and tour them all.
Even if they could tour them all, what do they look for? What do they ask? What makes a facility better than the other? They all provide the same services right?
Well, they are certainly NOT all the same and do not all provide the same services. Some specialize in certain areas and may have certain staff that are trained or certified in various specialties like wound care, orthopedics, ventilators etc.
I’m hoping to give you some of the best questions to ask a skilled nursing facility when you tour them. Answering these questions can help you find the best facility to meet your loved one’s needs.
I’m going to divide up the questions into 2 subcategories: 1) What to look for on the tour 2) Questions to ask the tour guide, admissions coordinator, nursing home director, social worker or any other staff.
What to look for:
1. Looks can be deceiving, focus on the smell. Does it smell of urine the entire duration of your tour?
If you get whiffs of urine or feces here and there on the tour, don’t let that deter you, staff may just be changing patients. However, if it is lingering during your entire tour, that can be a sign of lack of cleanliness and patient care.
2. Do you notice staff interacting with the patients? Does your tour guide know any of the patients names or interact with any of them?
3. Are patients smiling?
4. Are the staff smiling? Do any of the staff interact with you as you tour?
Questions to Ask:
1. What kind of therapies are provided, what is the maximum amount of time per day that can be provided and how many days a week?
2. Is there a registered dietitian on staff? What their role be with my loved one?
3. How often will we meet about the progress of my loved one and who can I expect to be there?
4. What is the nurse to patient staff ratio?
5. What is the nurse aide to patient ratio?
6. What specific training programs do your staff partake in and how often?
7. In what ways do you recognize your staff for a job well-done?
8. Are any of your nurses wound-care certified?
9. Do your nurses have training in IV lines for medications or nutrition?
10. Do your nurses have training in foley catheters?
11. Who is your licensed Medical Director?
12. Who is your Director of Nursing and how long has he/she been at this facility?
13. Do you have respiratory therapists available?
14. What activities are available at this facility and how are patients encouraged to participate?
15. What is this facility’s success rate in patients not returning to the hospital within 30 days?
If you want to find out how to qualify for a skilled nursing facility or if Medicare will pay for one, check out our posts:
2 Responses
Great read thank you for this
This is so new. I didn’t know so much about this.