Here are some helpful hints to ease the way:

• Talk to others who have been through the process. Take advantage of every opportunity to speak with family, friends, doctors, clergy and professional counselors about determining your loved one's short- and long-term care needs, your needs and objectives for placing your family member, and what types of services and programs you should seek based on those needs.
• Read everything you can on the subject of nursing home placement so you can fully understand the different types of issues you should be considering. Make a checklist of the qualities, programs and services you and your family have decided are most important. Then make a list of facilities that meet your criteria.
• Call the Nursing Home Ombudsman in your area. In Cleveland, the number is 216.696.2719. This consumer agency monitors nursing homes to ensure that they adhere to standards of care. Talk to the ombudsman about what you are looking for in a facility and ask for feedback about the places you are considering. In addition, ask for each facility's annual state survey report to gauge if the home has any weaknesses in service delivery. Keep in mind that many homes receive perfect scores or have only minor deficiencies cited.
• Tour each facility you are considering so you can judge first-hand if it meets your needs. What do the living areas look like? Is the facility clean inside and out? Does it create a home-like atmosphere for its residents? Are the residents engaging in activities or are they isolated in their rooms? Is the facility restraint-free? Is the staff friendly and accessible? Of course, the list of questions you have is probably endless. Just make sure you approach the tour and the questions you ask so that when you leave you have a clear sense of what your family member's life would be like if he or she lived there. Be as specific as possible to the admissions worker about your loved one's needs and your expectations. Ask directly about how the facility would meet those needs. Let the staff know up front that you are an involved family member and that you will learn a lot about the facility's philosophy and willingness to consider you a partner in your family member's care.