You love your mother and want her to be happy, which is part of the reason why you did a lot of research and selected the very best nursing home for her needs. However, what do you do if your mother calls you up with a litany list of complaints against the nursing home?
The first thing is not to panic. While elder abuse and neglect is definitely a widespread problem across the United States, if your mother is the exacting sort the issue may not be so dire. According to the AARP, common complaints that nursing home residents have relate to the food and potential roommates.
What if my mother claims the food is bad?
It is very possible that the nursing home provides nutritionally complete and well-made meals, just that they are not to your mother’s taste. This is particularly true if your mother likes eating certain types of ethnic cuisine.
It is also possible that your mother simply misses eating dinner with the family. If this is the case, try to visit your mother several times a week and eat a meal with her. It may be less about the quality of the food and more about the quality of the company.
What if my mother claims her roommate is terrible?
Reputable nursing homes will indeed do roommate swaps if it is at all possible. However, it is also important for you to ascertain if the problem is actually with the roommate or just with the concept of having a roommate. Particularly if your mother lived alone for several years, there will naturally be an adjustment if she needs to share a room with somebody else.