Return during off times, such as evenings and weekends, and stroll through the nursing home on your own. This will allow you to experience it without an official interpretation. Take a blank checklist to each visit. Take a deep breath and clear your mind. However, a poorly kept nursing home may indicate inadequate care of residents.
Locked doors prevent wanderers from leaving the building, but they also create a potential hazard.
Ask for paperwork showing that the home has been inspected and meets federal and state codes for fires and disasters. A mild urine odor is normal for a medical facility, but be leery if the smell is strong. Be equally concerned if a powerful room deodorizer is being used to mask an unpleasant odor. That could mean the facility is trying to obscure an unclean area rather than clean it. Nursing homes caring for dementia patients need a higher ratio.