East Columbus Gateway

Nursing Home Checklist

Jan 11, 2003

No one wants to put a family member in a nursing home or be the person that requires being placed in a nursing home. But, if one must make use of a nursing home?’s facilities how do you know if it is a good environment? Following is a list of items to look for when assessing a facility.
Wheelchair-accessible doorways Residents are adequately dressed
Stairs have safety precautions Residents rights are posted
Handrails along the wall Food is attractive and tasty
Dry and litter free floor Special diets available
Drinking water easily accessible Fire extinguisher available and up-to-date
Emergency exits clearly marked Recreation activities supplied
Clean facility Activities interesting and appropriate
Residents participate in programs Heating and cooling system adequate
Religious services supplied Faucet, call buttons, telephones, and television work
Pleasant atmosphere Facility has been state inspected
Residents respected Charges competitive
Residents treated as individuals Fee structure is not confusing
Extra charges stated clearly Visitors are welcome and reasonable visiting hours
Questions answered Medicaid and Medicare accepted
Patient transportation available Other residents have similar conditions
Residents are clean Social work or mental health services
Rehabilitative and therapeutic services Community organizations involved