For those investigating a choice of nursing homes for a family member or loved one, figuring out which ones are good or not-so-good isn’t easy.

But here are some things to ask or look for:

¢ First, be sure you or your loved one truly needs to be in a nursing home. Several services aimed at keeping seniors in their own homes are available.

To find out what services will best meet your or your loved one’s needs and to have someone walk you through the assessment process, call Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging, 1-800-798-1366.

¢ If a nursing home is an appropriate placement, ask to see the facility’s latest inspection report by Kansas Department on Aging. It’s a public record. You can ask for it at the front desk of the nursing home. Feel free to ask to read it in a private setting.

Copies also are available by calling the Kansas Department on Aging in Topeka, 785-296-4986, or Kansas Advocates for Better Care in Lawrence, 842-3088.

Parts of the report may be difficult to understand, but you should come away with a general idea of what the inspectors found the last time they visited.

Summaries of the findings are available on Kansas Advocates for Better Care’s Web site: www.kabc.org.

¢ Call either the Department on Aging or Kansas Advocates for Better Care to find out if a nursing home has recently been fined or hit with a ban on new admissions. Both are indications of serious shortcomings.

¢ Visit more than one nursing home.

¢ Visit more than once. Don’t be reluctant to drop in after 5 p.m. or on weekends or holidays.

A nursing home may have enough day-shift workers but not enough night-shift workers. The only way to find out is to see for yourself.

¢ Ask how many of the home’s nurses and nurse aides work for the home and how many are employed through an employment agency.

There’s nothing wrong with a home bringing in a few “temps” to fill vacant positions. But if these “agency hires” account for more than one employee per wing or unit, it’s a sign the home is having a difficult time holding on to its workers.

¢ Ask to eat a meal with residents. It won’t be what you’re used to, but it should be palatable.

¢ Use your nose. Given today’s housekeeping technology, a nursing home should not smell bad.

¢ Notice whether residents are reasonably well-groomed. If they’re not, it may be because they’re not getting enough attention.

¢ Ask if the home has a resident council that allows input from residents and family members. Ask to speak to council members. Hear what they have to say.

¢ Boredom is a huge issue. Ask about daily activities, and make sure the activities are meaningful and actually provided. Troubled homes are often cited for not following through on promised activities.