Well, Nickie Toups has spent 30 years caring for the elderly and told News 10 what steps need to be taken to make sure your family is taken care of.

(KLFY)-- Finding the right nursing home for a loved one is a tricky decision for many. So how do you know which one is the right one?

Well, Nickie Toups has spent 30 years caring for the elderly and told News 10 what steps need to be taken to make sure your family is taken care of.

"The same way that you look for a daycare for your children is the same way that I look for a nursing home for my loved one," Toups said.

Toups said finding the right nursing home is a stressful time for families, but it's important to address the major concerns from the very beginning: facilities, staffing and options.

The most important step in addressing these concerns is visiting each facility you consider.

"I would try to build a relationship with every person that's going to take care of my loved one," Toups said. "I'd look for cleanliness of the building, staff to patient ratio. If my loved ones having falls asked for. What's your preventive measures? If my loved one has a bed sore, a wound, what do you do to take care of wounds? And how do you prevent wounds? Working with the nursing home is the key to make your loved ones stay successful."

Another common concern is staffing, especially during weekends.

"I can almost tell you that any day of the week, seven days a week, you walk in a nursing home, and you probably will see the administrator, the director and nurses," Toups said. "Nursing home is a 24/7 job."

While building a relationship with staff, Toups said a crucial step before making a decision is exploring your options, and there is a web service to help you narrow down the search.

"So you can go to Care-Compare Nursing Homes, and it will show you the different nursing homes you're looking at," Toups said. "It'll tell you everything about the nursing home. It's not a secret. It's online. It has your state survey. It has your staffing, your quality measures, and all the things that you want to look for."

With all of these steps in mind, Toups said the most important factor will always be to visit the facility and only make your decision when you're comfortable and confident.

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