Finding the right care for your elderly loved ones is a difficult decision, especially if you are trying to decide whether to relocate them to a new state. San Diego and Chicago are large metropolitan areas with many regulations guiding the quality of care your loved one can receive.
Below, we’ll compare the regulations and requirements within each location to help you decide which city offers the best nursing home care for your friend or family member.
Comparing Nursing Home Regulations in San Diego and Chicago
Not all nursing home care is created equally, so it’s essential you select the right home. Otherwise, your loved one may become the victim of nursing home negligence. These cases can cause severe physical and emotional trauma for the victim and their family.
You can do your best to avoid this fate by exploring the regulations and nursing home reviews as you choose. Below, we’ll discuss several of the top factors you should keep in mind.
Staffing
Nursing homes are required to maintain a specific level of staffing to serve their patients. This includes having nurses and specialists on staff and determining the daily hours of care each patient should receive.
In San Diego, nursing homes must provide 3.5 hours of direct care daily. In Chicago, the number of hours residents receive depends on the type of care they require. Residents who need skilled nursing care should receive 3.8 hours, while those who only require intermediate care receive 2.5 hours.
San Diego nursing homes may be better if you need general care. Otherwise, if you know your loved one requires skilled nursing care, they may get slightly more in Chicago.
Ongoing Education Requirements
With advances in medicine, it’s critical that nursing home administrators and professionals undergo continuous education. This helps ensure that all patients receive the highest caliber of care, regardless of the age and experience level of the nursing home professionals.
In San Diego, administrators are required to undergo 40 hours of continuing education every two years. This includes eight hours to help care for patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. In Chicago, nursing home administrators only need to complete 36 hours of continuing education, and there are no restrictions on the types of courses they need.
While both San Diego and Chicago nursing home administrators must undergo continuing education training every two years, San Diego practitioners require more hours and are more directed in the type of training they have to receive.
Individualized Care Plans
Not all nursing home residents require the same level of care, and nursing homes are required to develop individualized care plans for each resident. These include medical treatments, medication, physical therapy, specialized care, nutritional needs, and more.
In Chicago, residents should be regularly assessed to ensure their care plan has not changed. They should receive regular medical treatment to help maintain or progress their mobility.
However, this isn’t always the case. Nursing home residents can easily fall, breaking a bone or hip as a result of the nursing home’s negligence. If this is the case, a Chicago nursing home fall and fracture lawyer can help you understand your rights.
These falls also happen in San Diego. California nursing homes should have detailed plans to help meet their patients’ needs. Failure to do so can be determined as negligence by a court of law, leading to fines, loss of certification, and more.
Care plans are in place to protect nursing home residents, but they are not always adhered to in Chicago and San Diego.
Inspections
Nursing homes must undergo routine inspections by their state health department to ensure they meet their minimum operating requirements. If the nursing home receives federal funding or accepts Medicare, it should also meet federal requirements.
The California Department of Public Health Licensing and Certification Department in San Diego helps govern nursing homes. In Chicago, the Illinois Department of Public Health oversees nursing homes. Nursing homes that fail to meet minimum requirements are put on action plans to address the issues.
If they do not make the adjustments to bring the facility up to standard, they may face fines, loss of certification, or even closure. Both cities have strict requirements that they need to uphold in order to operate their nursing home.
Conclusión
There are pros and cons to nursing homes in both San Diego and Chicago. San Diego requires slightly more hours for all patients, while Chicago has more for those who need skilled nursing care. They both have continuous education requirements to keep their knowledge fresh and are required to undergo routine inspections to ensure the facility meets the basic requirements.
Patients have individualized plans to meet their needs, ensuring your loved one is getting relevant care and attention. Which city is best for your loved one depends on where you live, their support system, and how close you want them to be to their familiar surroundings.
