What to Look for when Hunting a Rehab Center
Are you a caregiver? Then you are familiar with feelings of overwhelm or anxiety that often accompany the caregiver. If a loved one is struggling with health issues following illness or injury and the care needed is more than you or another family member can provide, it may be necessary to explore short-term rehab centers. I recently had this experience following my mother’s knee surgery and my partner’s hip surgery—within 6 weeks of each other. Both had complications which became more than I, as caregiver to both, could handle. At first we did what we could do, together and individually, until we accepted that outside assistance was needed.
Tough Decisions
While nursing homes and rehab centers accomplish many of the same tasks, rehab centers are specific for short term stays. These are ideal for:
- joint and bone issues/replacement,
- debilitating illnesses,
- discharged from a hospital or surgery center and unable to fully care of self yet,
- stroke or coronary event,
- mobility issues and returning to activities of daily living (ADL) pre-op or pre-surgery.
If one or more of these situations fit the needs of your loved one, as they did with my family, and you feel you’re in over your head as a caregiver, these tips will help you find the right facility for your family member.
Before the Search
Before you explore any facility, research the rehab centers in your area. Read online reviews, ask your primary care physician for their recommendations, then narrow your search to your top 3 or 4. Contact the administrator and request a visit and tour. For a small fee, you may be able to share a meal onsite.
Rely on Your Senses
Next, when you tour your top choices, put your senses on high alert. Here’s a list of what to look, listen, and smell for.
Sight: beyond curb appeal, how visually appealing is the facility, the grounds, the interior and exterior of the location? How clean does the facility look inside and out? Is the building structurally solid? Do grounds keepers keep the place looking tidy? Does it have outside areas for residents and family members to enjoy? Are these features important to your family member? What about linens, residents’ beds (are beds made and linens folder, or not?) What about stains or wet spots? Are there many? Where are they? Check the walls—are they clean? Examine the residents’ eyes: are eyes bright or dull? Look for liveliness and a sparkle.
Smell: Take a deep breath throughout the facility. Do you smell urine? Body odor? Other odd smells? Use your sniffer to check resident rooms, common areas, recreational areas, offices, the kitchen, dining areas, and even bathrooms. Check for carpet stains and bed stains. Examine the stains. If these scents, such as urine, are excessive this could be a sign that there are too few aides available to care for the residents.
Touch: Are areas dusty, gritty, or greasy? Do linens feel rough to the touch? Are chairs and cushions comfy?
Hearing: What do you hear during your visit? Is there screaming, excessive crying, fighting, distress? Listen to conversations among the residents, aides, dining staff, and other employees. Do people appear happy or sad? Do not be afraid to talk to residents and employees.
Taste: as stated above, for a small fee, you and your loved one can enjoy a meal in their dining areas. If your loved one has a restricted diet, talk with the facility administrator about meeting these needs. Secondly, is the food tasty? Are there a variety of choices? How appealing is the menu and dining areas?
Other Important Considerations
Go with the Gut! In addition to your 5 senses, don’t overlook your 6th sense, or your gut feeling. Do you—or your loved one—feel good about the facility, or do you get a creepy feeling? If creepy, continue the search.
Work load: how many patients does each aide (certified nurse’s assistant or CNA) have? A 1:8 ratio of patients to aides is the max. More than that and it’s difficult for the aides to maintain a regular check-up schedule for their patients—every 2 hours is standard. How long does it take for aides to respond to a call light? 15 minutes is standard, but difficult to maintain if staff is low.
Resident/aide relationship: how well do the residents and the aides get along? Are they on a first-name basis? Do they have conversations beyond, “How are you feeling today?”
Facility staffing: how well is the facility staffed on weekends? A lot of care falls to the aides, especially on the weekends. Is a familiar face important to you and your loved one? If so, employee turnover may be something to inquire about.
Nursing staff: Ask how readily nurses are available. What is their procedure for handling emergencies and contacting family members?
Other staff: how often can you find a house keeper? One should be available on every hall or wing. What about kitchen and dining staff? How are these areas managed?
Community interactions: How well does everyone interact? Are staff hurried, annoyed, or anxious? How friendly is the staff to visitors and family? Do the CNAs interact with each other? How many call lights are going off, is anyone slumped over? How friendly are facility administrators? What sort of activities are provided for residents?
Final thoughts
Keep in mind that rehab centers and nursing homes are mini-communities. While the above points seem like a lot to consider, remember the saying, “it takes a village.” Make sure your loved one’s village is covered with the needs of their residents. Plus make sure you and your loved one are both comfy with the location. Whether short-term or long-term, you’ll want a community where all are happy, comfortable, and well-cared for.
Lastly, it’s a tough decision for loving family members to make, but for the short-term, rehab centers can be a better option for you and your loved ones.
Kristen Edens