The best thing you can do when it is time for a loved one to be placed into the care of a nursing home facility is to check out the residence thoroughly and do your homework. Don't allow the staff at any nursing facility to convince you that you will see and learn all you need to during an hour visit in the marketing director's office and a fifteen minute guided tour around the facility.

There are several ways in which you can assess a potential nursing home facility and be sure there are no cases of abuse or neglect in its history. Here are ways for you to research the facility:

• Meet the administrator. This is the person who oversees everything that goes on in the facility and who is ultimately responsible for the facility, the staff and the care of the residents.

• Find out how often the Medical Director makes an appearance at the facility. Do they come daily, weekly or monthly to evaluate everything that goes on in the nursing home?

• Meet the Director of Nursing. Find out how many registered nurses and nurse's aides work the different shifts. Most problems occur during the night. Make sure they are sufficiently staffed to handle emergencies at all times and to assist residents who cannot do things for themselves.

• Visit the home during the evenings and weekends. Off normal hours will be the best time to determine the efficiency, cleanliness and amount of staff members that really exists at the nursing home. Pay close attention to bedridden and wheelchair bound residents. Are they clean and well groomed? Do they seem coherent and well-adjusted? Do the residents have access to fresh, cold water in their rooms at all times?

• Talk with a current resident and their family. Find out the quality of food , care, staff members and any other conditions of concern to you. Ask the resident's family if they have had any problems with the facility.

• Use a granny cam. This is a web cam used over the internet to keep an eye on and visit with a loved one when you cannot visit in person.

Beware of restricted access in nursing homes. No areas in the facility should smell of bodily fluids including hallways, group areas, resident's rooms and the residents themselves. Uncleanly odors should be cause for concern and the safety of the residents.

Observe the dining hall and the residents within it. Does the area look clean? Does the food seem hot and sufficient in amount and quality? Are there a large number of residents that seem overly thin to you? Are there aides who seem patient and helpful in assisting residents who cannot feed themselves?