Jane E. Brody, columnist for the Health section of the New York Times wrote about how to choose a good nursing home on October 5, 2009. She said:
I have often said in no uncertain terms that I never want to be placed in a nursing home unless it is to recover from a treatable illness or injury. I have heard so many horror stories of neglect, mistreatment, under-staffing, poorly trained attendants and even corruption. I shared the common perception of a nursing home as the last place you go before you die, and this was not how I wanted to spend my last days.
Brody was then invited to tour one of the largest nursing homes in Florida. She came away with an entirely different perspective.
Citing Taking Charge: Good Medical Care for the Elderly and How to Get It, Brody set out a checklist of concerns that family caregivers will want to address when faced with the issue of choosing a nursing home for a loved one. Brody's article "Nursing Homes That Belie the Bad Image" may be read here. The following day, Dr. Wendy Harpham author of five books about healthy survivorship also blogged this issue. You can read Dr. Harpham's blog article here.
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