TOLEDO, Ohio — Finding the right nursing home for your aging loved one is always tough. However, the ongoing pandemic is hitting the elderly population hard, adding another layer to the already difficult difficult decision.
"Right now, without letting people in the see the facilities, it's so difficult. Because obviously, if buildings are open you definitely want to walk around an get a feel for itself," Ottawa Co. Riverview Healthcare Campus administrator Kendra German said.
The campus offers both skilled nursing home care and assisted living.
German said her staff is doing all they can to protect residents and that they have been successful in keeping the coronavirus at bay. She said that right now, they can only take admissions from hospitals and not directly from the community, but if you're looking for care for a loved one, there are some specific questions to ask: like what are staffing levels and how are meals being handled?
"I would ask about therapy services because it's also really important as we lose some of the socialization without families coming in, sometimes you need a little extra therapy to maintain where you are with memory care and as far as physically," German said.
She also said that it's important to ask how activities are being handled. German explained that since groups can't gather, her campus is doing doorway activities to keep residents engaged.
Leaders with the AARP of Ohio agree that engagement is always important, and even more so now that visitors aren't allowed into nursing homes.
"Social isolation is a concern whenever you're talking about folks who haven't been able to connect or see their family members for quite some time," associate state director of communication with AARP of Ohio Michelle Shirer said.
In finding the right fit, AARP representatives said it's important to ask how communication is continuing with residents and their loved ones during this time. It also recommends discussing the right fit with your loved one's medical team.
The AARP has additional resources online if you are looking for a nursing home or if your loved one lives in one here.
You can also find more information through Medicare about finding and comparing nursing homes here.
Ohio's long term care consumer website also has additional resources here.