An Introduction to Picking the Right Nursing Home

by Caleb Fleschner

Last Updated October 5, 2026 In Newsletter

Choosing a nursing home for yourself or a loved one is an important decision. Nursing homes provide a range of services for residents who need short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, assistance with daily activities, or specialized medical support. Because every facility is different, it is important to find one that can meet your loved one’s specific needs while providing a safe and comfortable environment.

Families often have many questions when beginning their search. What should you look for during a facility tour? How can you compare nursing homes? What questions should you ask about staffing and resident care?

How Some Nursing Homes Get It Wrong

Unfortunately, not every nursing home provides the level of care residents deserve. A facility may be understaffed, poorly managed, or unable to meet the needs of its residents. In other situations, residents may experience neglect or intentional abuse.

“Choosing a nursing home is about more than finding a facility with an available bed,” said attorney Caleb Fleschner. “Families should take the time to understand how a facility operates, what services it provides, and whether it can safely meet their loved one’s individual needs.”

Even when a staff member does not intend to harm a resident, a facility may still be responsible when inadequate care results in injury or other harm.

Neglect

Neglect occurs when a nursing home or its staff fails to provide the care a resident needs. For example, inadequate staffing may prevent employees from giving residents the appropriate amount of attention and assistance.

Neglect can take many forms, including failing to provide adequate food or hydration, failing to administer medications properly, failing to assist residents with mobility or personal care, or failing to respond appropriately to a resident’s medical needs.

Neglect does not necessarily mean that someone intentionally wanted to hurt a resident. It can occur when a facility or employee fails to provide an appropriate level of care and that failure results in harm.

Abuse

Nursing home residents can also experience abuse at the hands of staff members, caregivers, or other residents. Abuse may involve physical, emotional, verbal, or other harmful conduct.

Physical abuse can include hitting, pushing, kicking, or otherwise causing physical injury. Emotional or verbal abuse may involve threats, intimidation, humiliation, or other conduct that causes a resident psychological distress.

If you notice unexplained injuries, significant changes in your loved one’s behavior, or other warning signs, it may be important to ask questions and investigate what happened.

What to Look for When Choosing a Nursing Home

Once you understand some of the problems that can occur in nursing homes, you can begin evaluating facilities more carefully. Researching facilities before making a decision can help you identify one that is appropriate for your loved one’s needs.

When researching and visiting nursing homes, consider:

Facility ratings and inspection history: Review available information about the facility’s inspections, deficiencies, and overall performance.
Staffing: Ask about staffing levels and whether the facility has enough employees to meet residents’ needs.
Services: Make sure the facility provides the medical, rehabilitative, and personal-care services your loved one requires.
Cleanliness and maintenance: Pay attention to whether resident rooms, common areas, bathrooms, and dining areas appear clean and well maintained.
Resident interactions: Observe how staff members speak to and interact with residents.
Food and nutrition: Ask about meal options, special diets, hydration, and how staff assist residents who cannot feed themselves.
Safety: Ask how the facility handles falls, emergencies, wandering, medication administration, and other potential risks.
Communication: Find out how the facility communicates with family members about changes in a resident’s condition or care plan.
Visitation: Ask about visiting policies and whether family members can easily spend time with their loved one.
Specialized care: If your loved one has dementia, mobility limitations, complex medical needs, or another condition requiring specialized attention, ask whether the facility has appropriate resources and staff.

If You Need Legal Assistance, Contact Our Team

The Terre Haute nursing home abuse attorneys at Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin understand the serious consequences that can result when a nursing home fails to provide appropriate care.

If you suspect your loved one has been abused or neglected, contact our team to schedule a free case review. We can discuss what happened, review the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s care, and help you understand your legal options.