What should I do to find a good nursing home in Florida?

A:

As you get older, you often have to face the difficult decision of putting your mother, father or grandparent in an assisted living or nursing home in Florida.  Here are 5 things you should do to help you decide on the right facility:

First, go there! 

1 - Give it the "smell test."  If you smell urine, diapers or linens are not being changed properly.
2 - Are people in wheelchairs sitting in hallways doing nothing?
3 - Are the patients smiling?
4 - Are trays of food uncollected in patient rooms?
5 - How many staff people do you see?

Then, go to the Medicare.gov website, go to the Compare Facilities section, and put in your zip code.  You will see the ratings for the nursing homes in your area.