Searching for and Selecting a Nursing Facility

Abstract

In this study, the authors present findings from 306 resident interviews matched with 306 family member interviews examining factors associated with both the search for and selection of a nursing facility. For many elders transitioning into a nursing facility, the facility becomes their home, and the average cost of residing in that home is high. As such, searching for and selection of a facility has important consequences. The authors found that residents are not very influential in these processes. Second, they found very few proactive nursing facility choices were made by either residents or family members. Third, the choices made were seldom based on the quality of the facility. Fourth, prior knowledge of the chosen facility was limited. Finally, the authors also show that the time taken to choose a facility was in most cases extremely limited.