Why Families in Detroit Are Struggling With Choosing a Nursing Home

I feel like this is one of the hardest decisions you’ll ever need to make and it’s one of the most stressful times in all our lives – moving a loved one into a nursing home. And if you’re in Detroit… We have it really hard. Why? There are lots of reasons.

Detroit is struggling with unique economic and systemic issues and, as a result, a lot of nursing homes can’t meet even the most basic needs. This doesn’t necessarily mean that there are “bad” people working there. The truth is, the staff are overworked because there’s not enough of them and, as much as they would want to, they’re not always able to provide quality care for everyone.

But the staff shortages are just one of the many reasons so many families are having problems finding a nursing home for their family member(s). If you’re one of them – you’re not alone. This isn’t a particularly happy subject, but I feel like it’s really important to raise awareness on it, so keep reading, and we’ll get deeper into this issue.

Issues With Nursing Homes’ Low Ratings

Did you know that 48% of Detroit nursing homes are rated below average? That’s almost half! Of course, ratings don’t show all the information you need and you can’t make a choice based on the number of stars you see, but the numbers we’re seeing in Detroit are really, really sad. However, it’s not so hard to see why this is the case. With outdated infrastructure, not enough funding for necessary improvements, and limited oversight from the state, how can anything be different?

Now, imagine having a family member who’s about to move into a nursing home. How do you choose? And even if you find a nursing home with decent ratings, how do you know that what’s on paper matches the reality? A three-star rating isn’t bad, but what if those two missing stars mean that the staff is unresponsive? Or that hygiene standards are subpar?

The truth is, it’s hard to trust the rating system, especially when facilities are already rated so low. So, what do you do? Well, you research and research until you find something that looks like it might be okay. And once you do… Well, you have a whole new set of problems waiting for you.

Finding Your Way Around Additional Challenges

So, let’s say you found a good nursing home. You’re happy with it, the person moving into it is happy with it. Now all that’s left is to sign the papers, right?

Not quite.

Limited Availability and Long Waitlists

There’s a high demand for nursing home care in Detroit and the fact is, there simply isn’t enough room in well-rated homes for all of the seniors. If you go visit any of the facilities, you’ll probably notice they’re operating at or near capacity, and the waitlists stretch out for months.

The best advice I could give you is to plan ahead and to get on a waitlist a year before you expect your family member will be ready to move. Otherwise, you’ll need to settle for a low-rated home, and that’s not a choice anybody wants to make.

Problems With Money

Another problem with Detroit’s nursing homes is that they’re expensive and moving your loved one into one of them can mean a significant financial burden. You can get some help from Medicaid, but getting coverage is usually a complicated, lengthy process that has strict requirements for eligibility and tons of paperwork.

Without Medicaid or some other kind of financial support, you might find yourself struggling to find a facility that has a balance of good care and a decent price.

Lack of Transparency

This is one of the most frustrating problems you might face – not being able to find clear, consistent information. A lot of facilities will give you vague or incomplete details on services, prices, and care plans, so you’re kind of taking a shot in the dark.

What happens after is, you have unexpected costs to take care of or you find out too late that the facility isn’t even able to properly take care of your family member. You’re unprepared and misinformed in the midst of an already stressful situation.

Conclusion

The process of finding an appropriate nursing home can feel like you’re trying to solve an impossible puzzle. The facilities have low ratings, waitlists are insanely long, you can’t get clear information… It just adds more frustration to a decision that’s already very emotional.

However, there are ways to go forward even when the system is not working in your favor. Visit all the facilities you’re interested in and ask all the annoying, tough questions you want. But keep in mind, this won’t be a short process, so start on time and expect to be on a waiting list for at least a couple of months.