Some of the facilities to look for are as follows-
Administration
You should find out if the chief administrator and his team is well qualified and experienced or not. The security staff, the nursing/paramedical staff, the kitchen, dining room staff, room service staff, and easy availability of help are the factors which should be taken into consideration while selecting a home for oneself or his/her loved one.
Facilities
Room- Room accommodation should be airy and bright with convenient attached toilet. Depending on location, adequate cooling/heating should be available. The furniture, specially the bed and chairs in the room should be comfortable.
Recreation/Games- Routine should have morning prayer, yoga, light exercise etc. A well equipped gym, swimming pool, some indoor games would add to the value, though not all compulsory. A healthy jogging/walking track seems a must.
Electronic mailing/postal/banking- Facilities for TV, radio (even in individual rooms), computer with internet, telephone, ATM or convenient banking facility for encashing/obtaining cash. Incoming and outgoing postal facilities are equally important.
Hobbies/Books/Magazines etc.- Activities like gardening, sewing, knitting, painting chess, carom etc., form the best part of therapy and general well being. A good selection of books and magazines, if not a proper library, should be available.
Medical
An established full-fledged hospital be affiliated where all specialist treatment be available. Within the home, a suitable ratio of inmates and paramedical staff/nurses/help is essential in addition to a daily round by a GP or an OPD.
Hygiene and Sanitation-
The home should be maintained at a very high standard of hygiene and sanitation. The general atmosphere and ambience should be clean and pleasant as against the general perception of such homes being dark and foul smelling.
Food and beverages
This assumes great importance in view of the limited outlets the old people have for activities and other constructive work. Food should be well cooked with variety and tastes of the inmates being kept in mind. Room service should be available when needed, and it would be good for the moral to have special treats for birthdays, anniversaries and other big occasions.
Selection For Home
The things to look for should be-
a) Proximity to the children/wards.
b) Credentials of the governing/Adm body.
c) Finances and expenditure. This is self explanatory and usually an unavoidable constraint.
d) A final decision should be made after a few days’ stay to check on the quality of service and general ambience of the home.
In short we must make sure that the home that we have selected for our self or for our dear ones, it should give a feeling of home and not of a refugee camp. |
