Living In A Nursing Home: Myths and Realities

Myth: Nursing facilities do not provide quality care.

Reality: Family members are encouraged to participate in care planning meetings with the staff and patient. By being involved in care decisions, the information you can provide will help ensure quality and satisfaction of care.

Keep in mind that nursing facilities are expected to meet government-quality standards, and they are inspected to ensure that they do. When a problem is found, a plan for correcting it is put into place promptly. In addition, most areas have an active, government-supervised, Ombudsman program that provides advocates for patients.

Family and friends also serve as an important safety net by being regular visitors. If you feel that proper attention or care is not being given to a specific situation, bring it to the attention of the appropriate staff person, for example, the director of nursing, social worker or administrator. If you are not satisfied with their responses, you may wish to contact the facility's Ombudsman or other authorities.