Alzheimer's Disease Health Center

Alzheimer's Disease and Nursing Home Care

What Should We Look For In a Nursing Home? continued...

Services

• Are staff members available to provide 24-hour assistance with activities of daily living, if needed? Daily activities include:
  • Dressing
  • Eating
  • Getting around
  • Hygiene and grooming
  • Bathing, toileting, and incontinence issues
  • Using the telephone

Room Features

• Are rooms for single and double occupancy available?
• Is a 24-hour emergency response system accessible from the room?
• Are bathrooms private? Do they accommodate wheelchairs and walkers?
• Can residents bring their own furnishings? What may they bring?
• Do all rooms have a telephone? How is billing handled for long-distance calls?

Social and Recreational Activities

• Is there an activities program?
• Are the activities posted for residents?
• Do most of the residents at an activity seem to be participating?

Food Service

• Does the nursing home provide three nutritionally balanced meals a day, seven days a week?
• Is the food hot and appetizing?
• Are snacks available?
• May a resident request special foods or diets?
• Is drinking water always accessible?
• Are common dining areas available, or do residents eat meals in their rooms?
• May meals be provided at times the resident prefers, or are there set meal times?
• How are special diets handled?
• Is assistance available for residents who need help with eating?