Aristacare Nursing Home in Whiting? (homes, cost, licensed)

[tripod]

Could use some feedback from anyone who's been there or has had loved ones there. Would like to get impressions of how the level of care was + administrative concerns mainly having to do with cost in omparison to other places. Also if anyone could tell me about any places on the internet that lists reviews of all nursing homes that would be great too. Thanks

[Magic78]

Hi. I'm a licensed social worker specializing in gerontology. I'm not working now due to being very pregnant.

Anyway, I've spent a lot of time in nursing homes in my career. My best advice is to spend time at the nursing home. Talk to residents and families. See what residents are doing. Go there unannounced and walk around. If you look like you have a purpose, nobody should bother you. Are residents congregating in the waiting areas doing nothing? I hate that because it shows they aren't being stimulated. Does it smell?

Also, don't be fooled by fancy buildings and decor. Care Ones are probably the physically nicest ones around, but they are horrendous. Yes, there are chandeliers and fancy couches, but I've had clients have to beg to be taken to the bathroom, beg to be given their meds on time, etc. We call them h$ll holes. My clients couldn't care less about the fancy decor.

Go to Medicare's website. They have a listing with ratings. You could also ask about their latest evaluation. They should be honest with you.

[jerseyj]

Magic has given some great advice

Here is the State web site for some info too- Search Long Term Care Facilities in New Jersey

But nothing beats personal experience.

We are going through the same difficult search.

Good luck!

[dsmgvr4]

Scare One or Care None and many other SNFs (skilled nursing facilities) are alike these days: updated, fancy with nice decor. It is the trend. Best bet is to do what above poster said. Visit the place and spend more than just 20 minutes. Hangout in the hallways, look to see how long a call-bell is responded to, checkout the food, the cleaniness of the bathrooms. Ask what is the patient to CNA ratio. Checkout the Medicare rating of the facility. Ask about the therapy schedules. I am an occupational therapist that works in these types of facilities. The company I work for owns Whiting Care Center. I believe that my company is one of the more ethical ones out there.

[ocnjgirl]

I don't know that one, but I have worked in dozens of nursing homes in the past 15 years (I work as coverage, not full time in any one) and couldn't agree more with Magic78 - in my experience the fancier it looks, the worse it is, it means (to me, from what I've seen) they spend all their money on appearances rather than staff and residents. In my experience the big corporate ones are not good, they are very stingy with money spent staff and are usually understaffed with a lot of turnover. I don't care how good the food is or how nice the courtyard, if they don't have enough staff to take your loved one to the bathroom in time he/she will be miserable. Listen to Dsmgvr4 and find out their CNA to resident ratio, it is important.

In my experience, the homes run by religious institutions (like United Methodist Homes, of which there are some great ones in Jersey, or Lutheran Homes) tend to be better than the corporate ones, and no you do not have to be of the same religion or even religious at all to enter them.

[tripod]

Thanks for the insight + all the advice so far