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It involves the whole family.
This page was written from personal experience with nursing homes considered to have good standards and services. I am not a health care professional, nor am I an expert on aging. I am a person who has already been there and done that with parents who had to be placed in a nursing home.
This is not an easy thing to go through.
We lived through the years of having two parents in nursing homes at different times in different places. And now, once again, we must consider nursing home care for another family member. Our experience may be helpful if you are thinking about nursing home care for mom, dad, husband, wife or any other family member.
Understanding what to expect and what to ask about may help you. Try to create your own nursing home review. Don't be shy to ask specific nursing home care questions when visiting a home in-person. This page might help: Unusual Questions to ask before Choosing a Nursing Home.
Consider our Tips for Helping a Person Living in a Nursing Home to prepare yourself for the time ahead. Life will change for the person going into a nursing home, and so will yours.
Changing needs
As time goes by for people in a nursing home, physical abilities usually weaken, and the need for help becomes increasingly greater. Even if the person you love is capable of taking care of themselves in some ways initially, it is important to find out what assistance the nursing home offers as a persons abilities begin to diminish. Check these Unusual Questions to ask before Choosing a Nursing Home which includes experiences and comments.The transition from home to nursing facility
People probably will act differently when the must stay in a nursing home. You may be surprised at the information in How People Can Change when Living in a Nursing Home. Their desire to participate in formal activities varies with their ability, interests and mental state- which may be affected by Alzheimer's, other illnesses, or even be self-imposed - plus, there's the factor of unfamiliar surroundings.
The length of time someone has lived in a nursing home seems to have an added affect. Their desire to "move back home" may effect participation in activities, or in making new friends. They might withdrawinto solitude, or become angry, or very, very sad. Occasionaly, some people people are actually relieved to be moving into a nursing home, which is also discussed in Mom's Here to Stay.
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