An insane asylum! Been working out great! =)

i've been to one of those nursing home places and i dont like them. they smell weird and its so sad to see all those old people cramped up in one place, waiting to die.

I volunteer in small nursing homes, (up to 12 rooms) and it is my experience that if you visit regularly before you choose a place, you will have a much better idea of what you need. Most nursing homes are referred by the primary care physician. They will often be open to providing three or more options for you to choose from. Visit each one, and follow the standard tips as suggested by AARP: http://www.aarpmagazine.org/health/embedded_sb.html

I work for a hospice company and I've had to deliver medications to several nursing homes. They are all different. You go to some that aren't so great. But there was one that I went to, that was absolutely amazing. Full pond with fish, game room with pool tables, ping pong, board games, cards, & a couple pinball machines, and so much more stuff. The nurse invited me in for lunch. They had this huge cafeteria that was set up like a buffet. All you can eat and with good food too. For some of the more handicap patients they had nurses bringing food to them. The place was great, I wanted to check in right then and there. There wasn't one person there that wasn't smiling. So I guess my answer is, is that it just depends on the nursing home. Do some reseach and check it out. They also have something called a board and care. A board and care is usually run out of a residence but offers a much more personal atmosphere.

We just placed my g-mother who is 89years old in a home about a year ago, after she fell and broke her hip. She can't walk and they say she has the starts of alztimers(mispelled, of course). So she cannot remember how to take care of herself. The place she is in is really nice the only problem is that we have told them not to do certain things and they will do it anyways and then charge her out the butt. She is now paying about $900.00 more a month than she started with and for nothing really. They charged her $500.00 to SHOW her how to use a wheel chair, which she has been in for awhile now. They know she has the money so they do things like this, it's getting out of control. We are going to have a meeting with the superviser to stop this sort of non sense. We did have my great g parents in one back in 1997, it was horrible and they ended up getting shut down for running a meth lab in their back room(my g parents were not in there at this point) you just need to do your research and do visits and what not before hand. Act like you are looking into schools for your child, it's the same in a lot of respects. Good luck!;)

We put my mother-in-law in one 5 years ago. she called out for her 11 kids all the time. My husband and I were over there every night because no one liked her yelling out names over and over. They would stick her in the hall and leave her there all day, lose all her clothes, even though her name was in them and once, when they thought she was alone, the nurse was at the door getting moms pills ready and she said "ok you rotton bitch you'd better not start yelling" I was in the chair and she didn't see me. I let her have it and I never left her alone there again, she did 2 months later. It was said to see her go like that.

We are on our 3rd home for my MIL since this November when she broke her hip. She is 94 and has dementia, very little memory. But we feel this last place is pretty good. However we have a family that insists on visiting often. For awhile we even had one family member or friend come visit and stay for several hours each day. She had quit eating and only with much family prodding and encouragement would she eat. So we were there at most mealtimes and even would get people at her table to eat also. FInd a home that keeps the same staff and doesn't ahve high turnover. Find one that listens to you and abides by how the family wants things done. Don't settle for the ones that won't take someone to the bathroom at regular scheduled potty times!!!! Don't let them just put her in a diaper and let her sit there in her filth. Don't let them feed her things she doesn't like. Find a place that the staff don't regularly lose their temper and helps the individuals. Visits are good before but we've found they will tell you only 1'3 of the story. The best looking ones have NOT been the best care:-( But check your relatives condition. Don't accept unknown wounds and bruises. Call them and ask how much they ate and if they took them to the bathroom and if they don't like the interference, TOO BAD!!! If they can handle it, it's the place for your loved one.

I haven't had to do that yet, but I can say NEVER put someone in a Sunbridge. I've had to deal with them(more than 1, they are a chain) with my job, they suck, and your family member will not get proper care.