Long Term Care Authority offering free help in evaluating nursing home options

Nov. 08--The Enid office of the Long Term Care Authority is offering free advice for families evaluating options for nursing homes or assisted living.

The Oklahoma State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, a sub-unit of Oklahoma Department of Human Services, is available for "advocacy, problem solving, complaint intake and information," according to a LTCA press release.

"When it becomes necessary for someone to enter a nursing or assisted living home, the individual and their family are faced with a very difficult and complex decision; Which is the best home?" said LTCA ombudsman supervisor David Huff in the press release. "Unfortunately, there is no easy answer."

The federal government has developed a five-star rating system for nursing homes, with information on every nursing home that accepts Medicare or Medicaid.

"This information is helpful, but should be just one factor in nursing home choice," Huff said. The rating system is available at https://www.medicare.gov, the go to "Find nursing homes" and enter the Zip code or city.

Every nursing home and assisted living facility in Oklahoma is surveyed annually by Oklahoma State Department of Health.

Copies of facility surveys are available at https://www.ok.gov/health, then go to "Long term care inspection surveys" and use the search function. Every facility is required to have a copy of the most recent survey available to the public.

When prospective residents and family members visit a nursing home, Huff offered some things to observe:

--Does the facility have unpleasant odors throughout?

--Does the facility appear clean and well maintained?

--Are residents appropriately dressed in clean clothes and are they neatly groomed?

--Do residents appear happy? Do staff members?

--Ask for an activities calendar -- are there activities that the proposed resident would find rewarding?

"Word of mouth in the community may be factored into the decision, but should be received with caution," Huff said. "Facilities have different personalities and a facility that one resident dislikes may be well liked by others."

More information and assistance is available by contacting ombudsman supervisors David Huff or Julie Torson at the Long Term Care Authority of Enid Area Agency on Aging, (580) 237-2236, or online at https://www.ltcaenid.org.

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