183. Are Unlicensed Care Homes Legal? Scams, Red Flags, and How to Vet Licensed and Unlicensed Care Homes

How can I find a reputable residential care home?

It’s a horrible topic we don’t want to discuss, but it’s an important one: caregiver abuse. In Texas, there’s an investigation into alleged abuse occurring at residential care homes called Love and Caring for People. Police are now looking into the deaths of 13 people who have died in the care of a woman who owns a string of homes in the Dallas / Arlington / Grand Prairie area, the result of suspected abuse and neglect.

Before I go on, I want to say that residential care homes are a great option and this story should not prevent you from considering them for your loved one. As a reminder, residential care homes are homes in regular neighborhoods owned by nurses, physical therapists, and others in the medical field who have worked as caregivers and know what they’re doing.

That's not to say there aren't signs that things could be amiss. Some red flags for residential care homes include:

· It’s hard to contact your loved ones. Whether calls aren’t going through or visitor’s hours are only one day a week for one hour, you shouldn’t be blocked from visiting your loved one.

· Your loved one is slurring or sounds ‘out of it’ on calls. This could mean they’re being drugged.

· You have a bad gut feeling. Listen to your instincts.

To find a great residential care home, there are a few things to keep in mind:

· Work with the professionals at a senior placement service. We make sure we’ve done our due diligence to recommend you a reputable care home.

· Go with a licensed care home if it’s in the budget for you. Unlicensed are sometimes an option to remain budget-friendly, but there’s a little more risk and fewer protections.

· Ask for references from previous residents and family members.

· Check on the visitation policies.

· When you visit, check if it’s dirty or smells. Use your senses and consider if this is a place you’d want your mom to stay.

This is an incredibly important decision, so my hope is that these tips help provide peace of mind and match you with an ideal home for your loved ones.

Topics discussed:

· Residential care homes

· Tips for finding a residential care home

· Red flags for residential care homes

· Licensed vs. unlicensed care homes

· Why use a senior placement service

Takeaways from this episode:

· When searching for a care home for a loved one, it’s best to work with a senior placement service. They visit each home and make sure they can confidently recommend them to their clients.

· In Texas, a residential care home has to be licensed and meet certain standards if there are more than 3 people. They are held accountable and inspected like an assisted living facility.

· Keep in mind the red flags when looking into a care home: difficulty contacting / visiting family, slurred speech and confusion in residents, the home isn’t clean, etc.

· Look for licensed residential care homes with glowing recommendations, good visiting hours, and a clean interior.