Deciding whether your loved one really needs to enter a nursing home may be one of the toughest decisions you’ll ever have to make. If the person is being discharged from a hospital, you can call upon the services of the discharge planner for help in evaluating the situation. And although every person and situation is different, here are a few of the important factors to consider.

• Is the person unable to live alone?
• Does he or she need 24-hour care and supervision?
• Is this person chronically ill but not sick enough to be hospitalized?
• Does he or she need help with daily activities such as eating, walking, dressing and bathing?

If you answer no to these questions, your loved one might benefit from more extensive home or community-based services or an assisted living environment. There, a person lives independently but with additional support such as light housekeeping, daily meals and occasional assistance with daily care.

If you answer yes to these questions, your loved one may need to be in a nursing home, and you may need a quick course in nursing home basics. Before you sign up with the first home that has an opening, you need to know a little about nursing home facilities in general. Most people don’t know what to expect, but by getting a handle on some basic facts, you’ll be able to find a good fit between person and place.