How to Check Medical Support in an Old Age Home – 2026 Family Checklist
Published: May 2026 | Reading time: 8 minutes
Medical support is the single most important factor when choosing an old age home for a loved one. Yet many families in Kolkata rely on verbal assurances – “yes, we have a nurse” or “doctor visits regularly” – without ever verifying.
A lack of proper medical support leads to delayed emergencies, bedsores, medication errors, and preventable deaths. This guide gives you a step‑by‑step checklist to evaluate medical facilities before you sign any admission agreement.
This is a general guide for all old age homes. If your loved one has dementia or advanced memory loss, standard medical support may not be enough. After using this checklist, please refer to our dedicated resource on old age home in Kolkata for specialised dementia care options.
1. Before You Visit: Prepare These Questions
Print this page or save it on your phone. During your visit, you will ask every item on this list.
Staff & Availability
• Is there a registered nurse (GNM or BSc Nursing) on duty 24/7? Not just a helper – a nurse.
• What is the night shift nurse‑to‑resident ratio? (Acceptable: 1:15 for stable residents; 1:8 for those with chronic illness.)
• Is there a doctor on call? Ask for the doctor’s name, phone number, and how quickly they can reach the home (not “within an hour” – get a specific time, e.g., 20 minutes).
• How often does the visiting doctor come? (Minimum twice a week for general homes; daily for homes with medically fragile residents.)
Emergency Preparedness
• Is there an oxygen cylinder on site? When was it last refilled? Ask to see it.
• Does the home have a tie‑up with a nearby hospital? Ask for the hospital name and the distance by ambulance (should be ≤5 km).
• Is there a written emergency protocol? Ask to see it. It should include: who to call first, who accompanies the resident, who pays for the ambulance.
• Are defibrillator (AED) or emergency drugs (injection for seizure, heart attack) available? (For premium homes; budget homes may not have these.)
Daily Health Monitoring
• Does the home maintain a health log for each resident? Ask to see a sample (with names redacted). It should show daily BP, blood sugar, temperature, and any complaints.
• Who administers medicines? Is it a nurse, or just a helper who reminds? Legally, only a nurse should give injections or IV fluids.
• How are medication errors reported to the family? (They should inform you immediately, not hide it.)
• Is there a quarantine room for infections (flu, COVID‑19, vomiting)? If not, how do they prevent spread?
2. During the Visit: Physical Inspection
Look beyond the brochure. Walk through the facility, especially the less‑polished areas.
Medical Room / Nursing Station
Go to the medical room (if they have one). Is it clean? Are medicines stored in a locked cupboard, labelled with resident names? Is there a refrigerator for insulin or other temperature‑sensitive drugs? Check if it’s working. Is an oxygen cylinder present and connected to a flow meter? Ask the nurse to demonstrate how to turn it on.
Resident Bedrooms
Check for call bells beside each bed. Press one. Does it ring at the nursing station? How long does it take for someone to respond? (More than 2 minutes is a red flag.) Look at residents who are bedridden. Do they have clean bandages (if wounds), and is there a turning schedule to prevent bedsores? Ask the nurse: “How often are bedridden residents turned?” (Answer should be every 2 hours.)
Bathrooms
Are there grab rails and non‑slip mats? Is there a call bell inside the bathroom? Many homes miss this – it is critical for falls.
3. Ask These 10 Critical Questions – And Note the Answers
Ask directly, without warning. Write down the answers. If they hesitate or give vague replies, consider it a negative.
| Question | Acceptable Answer | Red Flag |
|---|---|---|
| “Who works the night shift? Can I meet them?” | “Nurse Rina, she’s here from 8pm to 6am. I’ll call her.” | “We have a helper who stays awake.” |
| “When was the last time a resident had a medical emergency at night? What happened?” | Specific story with clear actions (e.g., “We called ambulance, nurse gave oxygen, son arrived in 30 min.”) | “I don’t remember” or “nothing serious ever happens.” |
| “Do you have a written emergency plan? May I see it?” | Produces a document with names, phone numbers, hospital name. | “It’s in our head” or “we follow general rules.” |
| “How do you handle a resident who refuses medicines?” | “We inform family and note it; we don’t force.” | “We mix it in food” (dangerous and unethical). |
| “Can I see the medication log for a current resident?” | Shows a log with date, time, medicine name, dosage, and nurse’s signature. | “That’s confidential” or “we don’t keep written records.” |
| “What happens if a resident has a fever at 2 AM?” | “Nurse checks temperature, calls the on‑call doctor, if needed calls ambulance and family.” | “We call family first and wait for instructions.” |
| “Do you have a backup generator for medical equipment (oxygen, refrigerator)?” | “Yes, we test it every week.” | “We don’t have a generator” or “we have inverters only.” |
| “How often does the doctor physically examine residents?” | “At least twice a week, and on request.” | “Only if family asks” or “once a month.” |
| “Are visiting hours restricted for emergency contacts?” | “We allow immediate family anytime in emergencies.” | “No one after 8pm.” |
| “Can I speak with the family of a current medically frail resident?” | Provides a willing reference. | “We don’t share contact details.” |
4. Red Flags – Walk Away Immediately
If you see any of these, do not admit your loved one, no matter how cheap or convenient.
- No nurse on night shift – only a sweeper or helper. Falls and heart attacks happen at night.
- Medicines lying unlocked – any resident could take them by mistake.
- Bedridden residents with bedsores – indicates neglect. Ask when they last saw a doctor.
- Smell of urine or faeces in corridors – understaffing leads to incontinence neglect.
- Staff unwilling to show health logs – they are hiding poor records or no records.
- Home says “we have a doctor on call” but cannot provide the doctor’s name or phone number – the doctor does not exist.
- No oxygen cylinder or empty cylinder without refill plan – life‑threatening delay in emergency.
5. What Basic Medical Support Should Every Old Age Home Have? (Minimum Standards)
Based on West Bengal guidelines and best practices (2026), every home that accepts medically stable seniors must provide:
| Service | Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| 24/7 availability | At least one person awake and trained in first aid + emergency numbers. |
| Nurse presence | Day shift (7am‑7pm): registered nurse. Night shift: at least a trained caregiver who can call ambulance and give oxygen. |
| Doctor visit | Minimum once a week for general homes; twice a week if any resident has chronic illness (BP, diabetes). |
| Emergency equipment | Oxygen cylinder with flow meter, first aid box, ambulance tie‑up (written contract with a local hospital). |
| Health records | Daily log for each resident: vitals (BP, sugar, temp), medicine administration, any incident (fall, fever). |
| Communication | Family must be informed within 1 hour of any emergency or change in condition. |
Homes that cannot meet these are not medical support homes – they are just shelters.
6. How to Document Your Findings for Future Reference
After the visit, write down:
- Date and time of visit.
- Name of the person who showed you around.
- Answers to the 10 questions (keep a copy).
- Photos of the medical room, call bells, oxygen cylinder (if allowed – ask politely).
- A note of any red flags.
This documentation is useful if you later need to file a complaint or if the home’s condition changes after admission.
7. When Basic Medical Support Is Not Enough – Dementia Care
The checklist above is for general old age homes that accept seniors with stable chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, mild arthritis).
If your loved one has:
- Memory loss causing wandering or confusion
- Aggressive behaviour, screaming, or paranoia
- Needs 24/7 supervision to prevent falls or leaving the premises
- Requires behavioural therapy or memory care
…then a general home with basic medical support will not be safe. You need a specialised dementia care home with secured exits, trained mental health staff, and behaviour management protocols.
For families facing dementia or Alzheimer’s, please refer to our dedicated facility: old age home in Kolkata (specialised memory care unit).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes, and you should. If they refuse, consider it a major red flag.
For general homes, once a week is minimum. For homes with residents on multiple medications or mobility issues, twice a week is better.
Then they do not have 24/7 nursing. A nurse on call who lives 30 minutes away is useless during a heart attack.
Not explicitly under West Bengal rules, but under standard care norms, yes. Without oxygen, a respiratory emergency is fatal.
Call the hospital and ask: “Does Home X have an emergency credit/arrangement with you?” Many homes fake this.
Some homes include basic nursing in the monthly fee. Others charge separately (₹1,000–₹3,000/month for nursing care). Ask upfront.
Document evidence (photos, log book), inform the home in writing, then complain to the District Senior Citizens Protection Officer or file a consumer case.
Final Advice
Medical support is not a luxury – it is a necessity. An old age home without proper medical backup is a risk that no family should take. Use this checklist on every visit. Trust your eyes and ears, not the brochure.
And remember: a home that is transparent about its medical limitations is more trustworthy than one that overpromises. If they say “we are not a hospital, we cannot handle critical cases” – that is honest. If they say “we have everything” but cannot show you – walk away.
For specialised dementia and memory care (which requires much higher medical and behavioural support), please see our main guide on old age home in Kolkata.
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