boosting occupancy

Restoring Trust & Boosting Occupancy in Nursing Homes

The country has witnessed several nursing homes struggling with low occupancy rates that ultimately had to close. The reason?

Lack of confidence in the home among potential residents and families of residents already there.

Trust surrounding nursing homes has always been a challenge across the country. With over 15,000 nursing homes in the US, many unreliable ones have dragged the reputation of good homes due to issues surrounding neglect, abuse, and poor conditions.

Low occupancy rates can result in a variety of problems for nursing homes. In many cases, nursing homes are forced to reduce staff while still trying to provide the same level of care to their residents. As a result, the quality of care suffers.

To avoid this, nursing homes must increase the confidence of families about their decision to place a loved one in the home. But how can you do this? We’ve rounded up some actionable methods you can follow.

Don’t let patients get lonely

Social isolation is a critical issue among older adults. As a nursing home, you are responsible for providing a safe, comfortable, and nurturing environment to your patients.

With such a large number of patients, it is easy to feel lonely and miss their families. Such feelings can make patients feel depressed, which will only exacerbate their condition. Your patients should not fall into this trap if you want them to enjoy optimal health.

Making sure patients have access to activities that allow them to interact with others, like art and music, is one way to help them.

Minimize staff turnover rate

Another thing to keep in mind is the staff turnover rate. It is exceptionally common for nursing homes to have high turnover rates. However, this will only get in the way of the residents forming a special connection with the staff. When the staff constantly changes, it will make the residents feel a loss of connection.

Having consistent quality staff will help greatly since it will be much easier for patients to feel loved and cared for.

Personalize the experience of patients

If you want to deliver the best possible experience to your patients, you need to ensure they do not feel neglected or forgotten. Every person has different needs, and you should treat them as such.

Spend time getting to know each resident. As much as you can, offer personalized services that cater to their specific needs.

For example, it would be foolish to assume that all patients who have dementia have the same experience or require the same kind of care. Additionally, some patients might be highly independent, while others might be highly dependent.

Invest in new technology and facilities

It is common for nursing homes to become too old-fashioned and resist change. But if you want your patients to experience the best possible care and enjoy the comfort, you will need to invest in the right facilities and technology.

Whether it has audio systems that talk to patients, smart bed systems, and other related innovations, you will be able to make a huge difference in the lives of your patients.

Getting easy-to-use mobility devices is also important since they can be very helpful in preventing falls, which reduces the risk of injuries to your loved ones.

Get the patient moving

Studies have shown that moving around a lot is a key to a healthy life, particularly for the elderly. The best way to help your patients is to get them moving at least 150 minutes per week. This will ensure that they can get a full range of motion and stay active

This can be accomplished in several different ways, such as walkers, wheelchairs, and other mobility devices. You can also help by encouraging your patients to participate in physical therapy at the nursing home.

Prioritize patient oversight

Tracking the progress of patients is a crucial part of your job. This will help you monitor their health and identify any issues as soon as possible.

But how can you do this? There are many different methods you can use. For example, you can ensure there are cameras in every room, take advantage of electronic systems, and have a good staff-to-patient ratio.

Get protected

The most important thing to remember is to protect you from any potential liability issues. This means that you need to have the right kind of Nursing Home Liability insurance to protect you against any difficulties.

Of course, it’s also important to remember that insurance is not everything when dealing with a care home and issues surrounding neglect and abuse. To make sure that you are doing everything you can for your patients, you need to continue improving your efforts.

Final Thoughts

The future of senior care lies in your hands. Unfortunately, problems that are out of your control may still arise. To combat this, always remember to protect yourself from any liability issues. This way, you can focus more on delivering the best possible level of care to your patients.

 About Midwest Insurance Group

Midwest Insurance Group is a risk retention group developed by Caitlin Morgan Insurance Services in response to the unique needs of the healthcare industry, particularly that of senior living facilities. With rising premium costs and difficulties in obtaining coverage from the traditional professional and general liability insurance market, Midwest Insurance Group represents a viable, long-term insurance alternative for the senior living sector, giving members complete control over costs and claims management. Midwest Insurance Group is reinsured with Lloyd’s of London, and A rated by Demotech.

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