When looking to choose a nursing home for your loved one you should ask your friends and family for referrals. But the most important thing you should do is visit the nursing home where you plan to place your loved one. Interview employees, gauge their attitude toward residents. Do residents look happy? Does the facility seem well-maintained? How does the place smell? How do employees interact with residents? Talk to visitors in the parking lot. Are they happy with the facility? Do they have any complaints? If you have time, make several visits to the home at different times of the day to talk to staff and inspect the home’s public areas for upkeep and cleanliness. Find out how long the caregivers have been around. If a majority of them a recent hires, that indicates staff turnover, which is not a good sign. Placing your elder in a home that is not well equipped increases their chance of sustaining emotional and or personal injury.