Choosing a Nursing Home in Mobile
Find a facility that meets your medical needs in a comfortable setting
As an attorney who represents seniors and adults who have been victimized by abuse or neglect in a nursing home, J. Allan Brown knows how important it is to find a respectable facility that meets your needs – and how damaging it is to find yourself in a place that doesn’t suit you. Not everyone has the luxury of selecting which nursing home they are going to, but if you are able to, taking the time to research the matter up front can help ensure you find a place that meets your needs and keeps you free from nursing home abuse.
Step One – Understand your needs for nursing home care
Different facilities offer different levels of care. Generally speaking, a skilled nursing facility offers a much greater level of medical care than a residential care facility, but terms such as nursing home, rest home, assisted living and long-term care facility are all somewhat vague and may be used interchangeably. Talk to your doctor about what your specific needs are, and make sure you are looking at facilities that provide the appropriate level of care you need. Your doctor may be able to suggest specific facilities which you can use as a starting point and guide when searching for a nursing home that is right for you.
Step Two – Narrow your choices of Mobile nursing homes that meet your needs
Once you clearly understand the type of facility you need, you may have friends in the community who have experience with a particular nursing home and can give you some advice. Another excellent resource is Nursing Home Compare on the Medicare website. This program uses an easy-to-read five star rating system based on inspections, staffing, level of care and other quality measures. Alabama fares very well under this system; with 226 nursing homes in the state, 72 currently have a Five Star rating and only five have the lowest One Star rating. Unfortunately, of the 18 nursing homes in Mobile County, only two have a Five Star rating. And of the five nursing homes in the state with a One Star rating, three are located in Mobile County.
If you have gotten suggestions from doctors, friends or family members, it is a good idea to check them out at Nursing Home Compare. The website allows you to select up to three nursing homes at a time and compare them side by side. If you are able to travel, you may want to consider broadening your search to other areas of the state. You can also search according to which facilities accept Medicare or Medicaid.
Step Three – Schedule visits to the nursing homes on your list
Once you have a short list of choices, the final step in making a decision should be to visit the facilities in person. Whether you are the prospective resident or a family member, take another friend or family member with you to help. Have a list of questions ready regarding the factors which are most important to you. For instance, what is the quality of care that is provided? What is the quality of life like for the residents? Does the facility promote independence? Does it provide social and recreational opportunities? Do staff and residents speak your language? Touring the facility and interviewing the director, staff and residents should help you get a good feel for whether the nursing home is right for you.
Call for a free, confidential consultation if you suspect abuse or neglect in a Mobile nursing home
Hopefully the above tips are helpful to you in finding the right nursing home to get admitted to, or to transfer to if the present facility is not meeting your needs. If you find yourself in a nursing home where you are being abused or neglected, or if you have a loved one in a Mobile nursing home and suspect abuse or neglect, contact the Law Office of J. Allan Brown to put a stop to abuse and obtain compensation for the damages caused.