Page 10 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, January 21, 2026 Savvy Senior by Jim Miller How To Find a Quality Nursing Home for Your Loved One Dear Savvy Senior, Can you give me some tips on picking a good nursing home for my father? Since his stroke, I’ve been taking care of him at home, but he’s gotten to the point where it’s too much for me to handle. Exhausted Daughter Dear Exhausted, Choosing a nursing home for a loved one that provides quality is a very important decision that requires careful evaluation and some homework. Here are some steps you can take that can help you find a good facility and avoid a bad one. Make a list: There are several sources you can turn to for referrals to top nursing homes in your area including the Area Agency on Aging (call 800-677-1116 or visit Eldercare.acl.gov for contact information); your dad’s doctor or nearby hospital discharge planner; friends or neighbors who may have had a loved one in a nursing home; and online at Medicare’s nursing home compare tool at Medicare.gov/care-compare. This tool will not only help you locate nursing homes in your area, but it also provides a 5-star rating system on recent health inspections, staffing, quality of care, and overall rating. Also, keep in mind that it’s always best to choose a nursing home that’s close to family members and friends who can visit often, because residents with frequent visitors usually get better care. Call your long-term care ombudsman: This is a government official who investigates nursing home complaints and advocates for residents and their families. This person can tell you which nursing homes have had complaints or problems in the past and can help you locate a good facility. Visit LTCombudsman.org for local contact information. Contact the nursing homes: Once you’ve narrowed your search, call the nursing homes you’re interested in to verify that they can facilitate your dad’s needs. Also, find out if they have any vacancies, what they charge, and if they accept Medicaid. Tour your top choices: During your nursing home visit, notice the cleanness and smell of the facility. Is it homey and inviting? Does the staff seem responsive and kind to its residents? Additionally, be sure to taste the food, and talk to the residents and their family members, if available. It’s also a good idea to visit several times at different times of the day and different days of the week to get a broader perspective. And be sure to find out about their staff screening and training procedures, staff-to-patient ratio, and the staff turnover rate. To help you rate your visit, Medicare offers a helpful checklist of questions to ask at Medicare.gov/media/document/12130nursing-home-checklist508. pdf that you can print and take with you on your visit. Paying for Care With nursing home costs now averaging $324 per day nationally for a semi-private room and nearly $371 for a private room, paying for care is another area you may have questions about or need assistance with. Medicare only helps pay up to 100 days of rehabilitative nursing home care, which must occur after a hospital stay of at least three days. Most nursing home residents pay for care from either personal savings, a long-term care insurance policy, or through Medicaid once their savings are depleted. Or, if your dad is a veteran, he may be able to get funds through the VA’s Aid and Attendance benefit (see VA.gov/pension/aid-attendance-housebound). To learn more about the payment options, ask the nursing home director. You can also get help from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides free counseling on all Medicare and Medicaid issues. To find a local SHIP counselor visit ShipHelp.org or call 877-839-2675. And for more information, see Medicare’s booklet “Your Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home” (product # 02174). You can view it online at Medicare.gov/ Publications. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. 1. Jan. 23 is Bounty Day; it is celebrated on Pitcairn Island with burning of what replica? 2. What is Massachusetts’ official state marine mammal? 3. Public bus lines originally used what transport method? 4. On Jan. 24, 1862, what authoress of “Ethan Frome” (set in Mass.) and The Mount was born? 5. January is Walk Your Dog Month; in 1960 why did NYC salesman Jim Buck “go to the dogs” professionally? 6. What vaudevillian/humorist said, “I love a dog, he does nothing for political reasons”? 7. On Jan. 25, 1961, what film with a character named Cruella De Vil had its USA release? 8. In what country would you find snow monkeys, the northernmost monkeys? 9. Why were the Frances Appleton Footbridge (2018) and Longfellow Bridge named that? 10. Reportedly, the word “jaywalker” comes from “jay-driver,” which meant what? 11. On Jan. 26, 1988, what show opened on Broadway that was its longest-running show? 12. What language is the drink name “mai tai” from: Creole, Japanese or Tahitian? 13. What country that is mostly ice has only one community not on its coast? 14. Jan. 27 is National Chocolate Cake Day; how are Ding Dongs and Ring Dings similar? 15. At the 1908 London Olympic Games was the first Olympic figure skating, including “special figures,” which is what? 16. What Semi-Colon Club member/authoress with the middle name Beecher had a sister, Catharine, who wrote “Physiology and calisthenics. For schools and families”? 17. On Jan. 28, 1958, what company patented a brick design? 18. Reportedly, do male or female bears emerge from hibernation first? 19. In 1838 what two countries became involved in the minor “Pastry War”? 20. On Jan. 29, 1954, Oprah Winfrey was born in what Mississippi city named for a Polish general during the American Revolution (also the name of a mustard)? ANSWERS 1. HMS Bounty (a mutiny on the ship inspired books, films and other works) 2. North Atlantic right whale 3. A long-bodied horse-drawn carriage (“bus” comes from the French omnibus [1829]) 4. Edith Wharton (The Mount was her home in Lenox, Mass.) 5. He got bored with sales and became “a professional dog walker, dog trainer and dog sitter” 6. Will Rogers 7. “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” 8. Japan 9. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow often walked from Cambridge across the West Boston Bridge (later renamed twice) to meet Frances Appleton (future wife) at her Beacon Hill home 10. A car or horsedrawn carriage driver driving on the wrong side of the road 11. “The Phantom of the Opera” 12. Tahitian 13. Greenland (Kangerlussuaq, which is at the end of a long fjord) 14. Types of prepackaged snack cakes ; they debuted in the 1950s and 60s 15. Tracing patterns on ice with one skate blade, including skaters’ original complex designs 16. Harriet Beecher Stowe 17. LEGO 18. Males (females with cubs emerge later) 19. France and Mexico (set off by a French pastry chef in Mexico complaining that Mexican army officers damaged his business) 20. Kosciusko
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