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An experienced nursing home administrator presents an insider’s view of the procedures, regulations, rights, and activities that pertain to such facilities. Busacca examines general licensing requirements, staffing issues, and in-house committees such as ones on safety, infection control, and quality action. All residents will have advanced directives, living wills, and other legal paperwork prepared upon entry, and a Comprehensive Care Plan renewed quarterly. Staff must respect resident’s absolute rights to privacy of health care information. Strict nutritional standards are imposed; individual dietary needs are monitored. Soon after moving in, residents are evaluated for therapeutic, medical, religious, dietary, pharmaceutical, and other needs. Social services are provided for admission and on-going assistance. Financial circumstances are identified. All these safeguards and regulations are instated to ensure that the residents will experience a quality environment, no matter how long they stay.
Busacca, who has been a consultant at numerous nursing homes and also an observer of a loved one in care, has organized his text to be fact-rich and highly informative. Since the author’s experience has been in New York, there will naturally be differences between states and even counties elsewhere. However, laying out the many well-considered guidelines and legal protections available to those who access care in Busacca’s purview presents a secure template for anyone considering such care in other places. Fine details such as how laundry is done, what social and therapeutic activities are offered to people of differing levels of competency, and what supplies are kept on hand for emergencies give a deeper sense of what the resident can expect in day-to-day care. Busacca’s work is couched in terminology that can be understood by someone newly approaching the idea of nursing home care and can provide a sense of comfort and commitment to potential residents and their families.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review