Choosing a nursing home can be difficult. Michigan’s Long Term Care Ombudsman Sarah Slocum has resources and suggestions to help with the process.

  • Prospective residents should make personal, unannounced visits to facilities they are considering. Is it clean? Does it smell good? Are the staff responsive when residents need something? Does the food look and smell good? “If you see and smell things not going well and a staff person explains it away — beware,” Slocum told Michigan Messenger.

  • Print out the Michigan ombudsman fact sheet on looking for a nursing home. Take it on visits to homes you are considering.

  • Go to the Nursing Home Compare Web site, maintained by the federal Medicare system, to see a home’s track record of deficiencies and staffing information, and to compare nursing homes by geographic area.

  • Compare homes on MemberoftheFamily.net, a simple, user friendly Web site offering comparative data on homes by state. The data are based on inspector surveys of homes and consider state and federal certification requirements. A color-coded display summarizes quality ratings.

  • Call the Michigan ombudsman toll free help line 1-866-485-9393. Regional ombuds offices visit facilities, keep inspection reports and share that information with the public. The toll-free number connects to the appropriate regional office based on where you are calling from.

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