Housing Alerts

• Nursing Home Check List: (51K)

  Generally, skilled nursing care is available only for a short period of time after a hospitalization. Basic nursing care is for a much longer period of time. If a facility offers both types of care, learn if residents may transfer between levels of care within the nursing home without having to move from their old room or from the nursing home.
• Nursing homes that only take Medicaid residents might offer longer term but less intensive levels of care. Homes that do not accept Medicaid payment may make a resident move when Medicare or the resident’s own money runs out.
• An occupancy rate is the total number of residents currently living in a nursing home divided by the home’s total number of beds. Occupancy rates vary by area, depending on the overall number of available nursing home beds.
• LICENSURE: The nursing home and its administrator should be licensed by the State to operate.
• BACKGROUND CHECKS: Do the nursing home’s procedures to screen potential employees for a history of abuse meet your State’s requirements? Your State’s Ombudsman program might be able to help you with this information.
• SPECIAL SERVICES: If a nursing home has special service units, learn if there are separate waiting periods or facility guidelines for when residents would be moved on or off the special unit. Some examples are: rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s, and hospice.
• STAFF TRAINING: Do the nursing home’s training programs educate employees about how to recognize resident abuse and neglect, how to deal with aggressive or difficult residents, and how to deal with the stress of caring for so many needs? Are there clear procedures to identify events or trends that might lead to abuse and neglect, and on how to investigate, report, and resolve your complaints?
• LOSS PREVENTION: Are there policies or procedures to safeguard resident possessions? For Parts three through six, give the nursing home a grade from one to five. One is poor, five is best

A good patient/ staff ratio is important to good care, but you should also consider other care factors. Examples are staff training programs and how long staff stay at the home. If staff changes frequently, ask why.

Good care plans are essential to good care. They should be put together by a team of providers and family and updated as often as necessary.

Ask the professional staff how the medicine a resident takes can effect what they eat and how often they may want something to drink.

Visit at meal time. Are residents rushed through meals or do they have time to finish eating and to use the meal as an opportunity to socialize with each other?

Sometimes the food a home serves is fine, but a resident still will not eat. Like everyone, nursing home residents like some control over their diet. Can they select their meals from a menu or select their mealtime?

If residents need help eating, do care plans specify what type of assistance they will receive?

or

visit The Ohio Long-Term Care Consumer Guide website for information about nursing homes and assisted living facilities which help consumers, family members and professionals search for appropriate facility to meet an individual’s needs.

Sooner or later every home needs repairs or improvements. Although some home improvement companies do good work, some do not. Dishonest companies only want to take your money, not repair your home. Many of these companies target older and low-income people. A home improvement scam could start with a telephone call or someone knocking at your door offering to "help" you with home repairs.

Warning Signs:
Warning signs you should watch for include when a salesperson:

• Contacts you first (comes to your home uninvited or contacts you by telephone);
• Tells you that you need to make repairs immediately;
• Talks too fast (to confuse you) and pressures you to sign papers today;
• Tells you that they are doing work in your neighborhood and claims they have "extra materials" left from another job;
• Offers to use your home as a "display home" or offers a discounted price or "discounts" for referrals, but only if you buy today!
• Tells you something that sounds too good (or bad) to be true. (It probably is not true!)

If you are a low-income resident of Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton and Warren Counties, you may be eligible for minor home repairs or weatherization assistance. For a listing of agencies that provide assistance, contact the Information and Referral Department of Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio at 513-345-8643.

Tips to Avoid Scams
Do your homework and be prepared:

Before you contact a home improvement company, decide first what you want to have done and how much you can afford to spend. Don't let the company decide for you.

Talk to friends and family to get names of reputable contractors they have used.

If you need financing to pay for home repairs, shop around first. The financing offered by a contractor may be expensive, so check with banks, credit unions, etc., to see if you can find a better deal. Be wary of credit life insurance and credit disability insurance, as these can be very expensive and are rarely needed.

If you cannot afford to pay for home improvements in cash, many honest (and dishonest) home improvement companies will offer to finance the cost for you. Many times they want to take a mortgage (called a "deed of trust") on your home. A deed of trust means that if you do not make all of your payments, you could lose your home! So think twice before signing a deed of trust or any other contract -- ask yourself whether you are willing to risk losing your home if you get behind in your payments.

Get at least two estimates:
Many companies give free inspections and written estimates -- get two or three before choosing a contractor. Remember that the lowest price is not always the best deal. Compare costs, materials, and methods suggested by different companies to decide what materials and methods are best for your home.

Check out the contractor:
Is the company reputable? How long has it been in business? Ask for references and then check them out! Make sure the company is licensed, bonded, and insured. Ask to see its certificate of insurance. Contact the Better Business Bureau and Attorney General to check on complaints.

Ask if there is a guarantee or warranty. If so, make sure it is in writing. If the company won't put its promises in writing, look for another company which will.

Understand the contract:
Do not sign the contract until you read it carefully. If the salesperson pressures you to sign before you read and understand all of the contract - don't sign it! Never rely on the salesperson to read or explain the contract to you. Ask a trusted friend or lawyer to assist you.

Do not let someone talk you into buying something you don't need -- or can't afford.

Do not pay for repairs in advance. Pay the final payment only after the work is complete.

Do not sign a contract unless:

• It includes a detailed description of the work to be done and specifies exactly what materials will be used and their quality;
• All of the contractor's promises are in writing;
• The contract includes the starting date and estimated completion date; and
• The contract is fair and the terms (including the price, finance charges and payments) are what you agreed on. If not, do not sign it!

Be sure to get a copy of everything you sign when you sign it.

Inspect the work
Make sure that the contractor has a City permit to do the work. Inspect all of the work very carefully to make sure it was done properly. If you have any doubts or questions, do NOT make your final payment or sign a "completion certificate" until the work is properly finished.
What You Can Do If You Are the Victim of a Scam
There are Ohio laws that allow you to sue if you have been cheated by false or unfair sales practices. You may be able to file a lawsuit to cancel the sale and also sue for your money damages, your attorney's fees, and punitive damages. Under federal law, if your home is used as security for a loan, you may have the right to cancel (in writing) the loan or contract within three days of signing the contract.

If you think you have been the victim of a scam, you should:

• Consult a lawyer immediately. There are time deadlines to cancel sales and pursue legal claims.
• Contact your county prosecuting attorney and the Ohio Attorney General's Office.
• Contact the Better Business Bureau

The best guarantee against getting ripped off is INFORMATION. So ask plenty of questions, and be slow to sign anything or to part with your money!

This is not intended as specific legal advice. For legal advice, you should consult a lawyer without delay.

Christ Church: 513.621-1817
318 East 4th Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Hamilton County

Santa Maria Neighborhood Services: 513-557-2710
718 State Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45204
Price Hill Neighborhood

Community Action Agency: 513-751-2624
2904 Woodburn Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45206
Hamilton County

Victory Neighborhood Services: 513-961-4500
2615 Melrose Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45206
Walnut Hills, Evanston & Avondale Neighborhoods

Free Store: 513-241-1064
112 East Liberty
Cincinnati, OH 45210
Hamilton County

Franciscan at St. John’s: 513-651-6444
13th and Main Streets
Cincinnati, OH 45210
Hamilton County

Salvation Army: 513-762-5660
1112 Clay Street
Cincinnati, OH 45210
Hamilton County

Memorial Community Center: 513-621-3032
1607 Mansfield
Cincinnati, OH 45210
Over-The-Rhine & Mt. Auburn Neighborhoods

Caring Place: 513-631-1114
6312 Kennedy Avenue
Cincinnati, Oh 45213
Pleasant Ridge & Kennedy Heights Neighborhoods

St. Vincent De Paul: 513-421-0602
1125 Bank Street
Cincinnati, OH 45214
Downtown, West End & Over-The-Rhine Neighborhoods

Valley Interfaith: 513-821-3233
420 West Wyoming
Cincinnati, OH 45215
St. Bernard, Elwood Place & Glendale Neighborhoods

Churches Active in Northside (CAIN): 513-591-2246
PO Box 23043
Cincinnati, OH 45223
Northside Neighborhood

Christ Community: 513-541-0303
1443 Marlowe
Cincinnati, OH 45224
College Hill Neighborhood

Madisonville Emergency Assistance Program: 513-271-5501
5915 Madison Road
Cincinnati, OH 45227
Madisonville Neighborhood

Terrace Guild: 513-641-0382
4848 Winneste
Cincinnati, OH 45232
Winton Hills Neighborhood

North East Emergency Distribution: 513-745-8500
4343 Cooper Road
Cincinnati, OH 45242
Blue Ash, Deer Park & Montgomery Neighborhoods

Sons of Ministries: 513-385-1793
8871 Colerain Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45251
Colerain, Springfield & Green Township