Nursing Home versus "Pysch" Ward

You know it's not your typical Mother's Day weekend...My mother-in-law didn't want to distrupt Grandma's nursing home schedule by taking her out for the day. I really think she was the one who didn't want to deal with the hassel of taking Grandma to her house. Grandma has only been in the nursing home for about 3 weeks. I think today was actually the best I've seen her in the last year but not because she belongs there. Don't get me wrong, I knew that Grandma needed more help and really shouldn't be alone in her house...at least now she is eatting right (3 meals aday) and taking her meds the way she should....it just the nursing home condition...it's really not a bad place but it has that SMELL. And it also has THOSE people that SHOULD be there but are just waiting to die. I was just sitting there wondering how someone could live in that environment...it just seems so stale and it would make me depressed to live there....Then I remembered what it's like to be somewhere where I didn't have control of what to do and when to do it...it came along with meds too and meals....how is that different? I've seen two places and one I really care not to "visit" again. The second was ok...but was I ok not to be there? How does one go to pick a nursing home for a loved one....how can you leave someone you love in a place like that? How do you know they are getting the care they should?