You should revise PLR articles before publishing them on your site. Here are 2 examples of good rewrites.

The Original Article
I held a PLR Challenge back in May 2006, and invited readers to rewrite the following article by Becky Hagel, and offered the person who returned the best re-write, as judged by Becky and myself, a complimentary membership to Becky’s Nichetastic site.

Tips to Choosing a Nursing Home

The choice of a good nursing home for your loved one cannot be stressed enough. A wrong home will lead to more problems for you and your loved one, while putting your loved one in a conducive and well caring home will not only give you peace of mind but will make your loved one happier.

Extra care must be taken to ensure that you shop around for a good nursing home. You can’t wholly depend on the advert you saw in the newspaper or on the TV or radio. You must go out there by yourself to get a good home. Don’t let any one advise you otherwise.

Many homes are staffed with inexperienced people that are not having the interest of your loved one at heart. Since they are not well trained and therefore inexperienced, they can’t understand the special needs of people like your loved one. Instead of being a help, they are a liability to these aged people.

There are several sources from which you can get an ideal home for your loved one. Check out these sources whether they can help you:

• The discharge planner or social workers of your local hospital
• Your physician
• Area agencies
• Aging friends
• The internet
• Magazines and newspaper ads

However, these sources are just to provide you with information if you are not having any particular home in mind yet. These sources should not be the last decision maker for you. Whatever their recommendations, make sure you go there yourself to get first hand information and experience. This is very essential so that you can see things for yourself. Don’t be fooled by the beauty or architectural design of the building. It is what goes on in there that should matter to you.

After acquiring information on good nursing homes from any of the above sources, it is essential that you make enquiries at the state agency’s inspection office that provides report on nursing homes.

Nursing homes are usually inspected regularly by a state agency in charge of such affairs. These inspections are normally comprehensive; everything from the dietary needs of the residence to the medical care of residents is examined. The inspection reports are normally made available to the public. It could also be available online in some states. The reports will be a good starting point to preselect the appropriate facility for your loved one, but that really is not enough. You must still visit the place on your own.

For you to get an adequate information on the home you are contemplating for your loved one, it is advisable that you visit the place at different times of the day. This will expose you to the different staff members working there and you'll be able to judge what happens to the aged people at diferent times of the day.

Moreover, when you visit at irregular times to assess the home, you’ll have an opportunity to see the type of food given to the aged and how enthusistaic the serving staff are to the residents. All these and other things that you’ll notice during your visit will help you determine whether this home is ideal or not for your loved one.

Among other things to consider when choosing nursing home, look out for the following:

• Licensed and Approved: The home must be approved by the regulatory body. See whether the home displays their license and if not, please ask them. If there is no proof of license, don’t put your loved one there.
• Facilities: Take a look at the facilities available in the home. Don’t be afraid to ask to be shown round the home in order to see things yourself.
• Cleanliness: Make sure that the home is clean enough at all times during your irregular visits. Don’t be fooled by the clean surroundings, look at the indoor as well.
• Staff: This is very important. Endeavour to know the type of staff in the home. See the way you are welcomed. It could be a sign to know whether the home is filled with happy people or not.
• Language: See whether the home can handle language differences if your loved one speaks another language

This is not exhasutive but it will aid you to know that you must be careful when choosing a home for your loved one. Your own happiness and that of your loved one depends greatly on it. First Winning PLR Article Rewrite
This article was received from Jim and is one of two winning entries in the “PLR Challenge” that I ran on May 2nd, 2006.

Contestants were asked to revise Becky Hagels' private label rights article “Tips to Choosing a Nursing Home” for a chance to receive a membership to Becky's “Nichetastic” as well as a copy of the newly revised Super Affiliate Handbook.

Congratulations, Jim!

Eight Tips (and Six Sources) to Choosing Your Nursing Home

“I knew the day was coming. But it always seemed like it was further away than today. I've made up my mind and have decided on my new, future home. I'm glad I followed all of those tips that I saved from that article I read. I've made a good choice.”

Isn't this the conversation you want your loved one to have on the day they move into their new home? Will this be the way it sounds? It will be if you plan ahead, make informed choices and follow a few easy tips.

Finding a good nursing home for your loved one is not much different than finding one for yourself. As a matter of fact, the conversation you just read, might just be you talking to yourself one day. While there are probably many steps to the search, the first step might be to look for a future nursing home like you were going to move there. Be selfish. Think about yourself and the things you would choose about a home. It will prepare you for when it comes time to choose a home for those closest to you; who can no longer care for themselves.

Depending upon when you need to make the choice, get as much information as you can, as soon as you can. You are reading this article. This is another step to the search. The choice you make is not only important for your loved one, but for yourself. Look at everything as if you were choosing for yourself. Your happiness has to be considered too.

Here are six sources of where to find an ideal home. You might think of others:

1. Your loved one's friends
2. Your loved one's doctor
3. Agencies in your area that care for the aging
4. The Internet
5. Social workers or staff at your local hospital
6. Magazine or newspaper ads

Your loved one's friends are probably the best source of information, since they either are already in a nursing home or are considering one. Check the agencies in your area who already care for the aged as they often have deficiency reports that are filed when a home does not meet area standards or conditions. Check these out carefully – they will contain other things to look for that you had not considered. Some areas have these reports on the Internet, so do a search there too.

You may have seen an advertisement and thought you had found the answer to the nursing home problem. Maybe. Look at the ad closely. If it is in the newspaper or a regional magazine, tear it out if you can. What appeals to you about this advertisement; about this home? Use the advertisement to start a check list of things to consider. Does it mention the size of the rooms? What about the size of the bathroom? Are all rooms handicap enabled? Are rooms shared or single? What about activities for residents? Is smoking allowed everywhere or just in designated places? You are getting the idea. Put it all on the check list.

Now that you have started a check list, you need to make some home visits. This is another step and it is very important. Remember that each home is a business and all businesses are trying to reduce costs where they can. One of the major ways is by hiring staff that is under skilled or where a background check is not as thorough as it should be. Staff that is not properly trained could cause your loved one more harm than good. Talk to the workers and ask questions like, “Where would you rather work if you did not work here?” Write down the answer – it might give you clues about where else to look for the new home. Can you share a meal with the residents? This will tell you if the food quality is top notch. Do you like it? Would you like to eat this every day? Remember you are choosing this home as if you were choosing for yourself.

How far from where you live is the future home? Is it close enough for friends and you to visit without spending a lot of money on gas and driving? Is it close to or on a bus route? What about other public transportation?

Notify each home you would like to make a visit and bring a flashlight. When you visit one of the rooms, check under the bed with your flash light. Is it clean? Smell the towels in the bathroom – you know that your loved one will smell these towels every day. Do the towels smell fresh or sour? Take a good look around the room – are window sills and curtains clean? Are there dust bunnies behind the door? Check out more than one room. The home might have a spotless room for visits such as yours that is a show place but not the real deal. Is this a place where you would like to stay if this was your next home?

Can you visit and talk with the current residents? Try to meet the people who live there now to get their opinions of how well they like the meals, the staff, and surroundings. These people will give you more information than the other tips combined.

On your check list you should have these tips covered:

1. Licensed and inspection reports are current?
2. Site visit successful?
3. Clean and tidy? What about under the bed, places you can't see and the sniff test of the towels?
4. Employees are licensed, friendly and helpful?
5. Are any employees bilingual?
6. Are the residents happy with the home?
7. What is the distance from where you live? The price of gas is not getting cheaper.
8. Can you visit you loved one when you want or only at approved times?

You have a good start. These tips and sources of information will help you find the right place for your loved ones and most likely yourself when the time comes to choosing a nursing home. The Second Winner of our PLR Rewrite Contest
This article was received from Jean Millard and is one of two winning entries in the “PLR Challenge” that I ran on May 2nd, 2006.

Contestants were asked to revise Becky Hagels' private label rights article “Tips to Choosing a Nursing Home” for a chance to receive a membership to Becky's “Nichetastic” as well as a copy of the newly revised Super Affiliate Handbook.

Congratulations, Jean!

How to Be Confident When Choosing a Nursing Home

Dinah was totally stressed out. With a husband and three children, a full-time job, and a dad to take care of, she was ready to fall apart.

For awhile, she managed to juggle responsibilities, but then her dad's Alzheimer's got worse. Coming home from work one evening, Dinah fell asleep at the wheel.

She was putting her life—as well as others—at risk. Finally it was time…

…time to find a nursing home for her dad. Yes, the decision was gut wrenching, but it had to be made.

Dinah now faced the prospect of finding the best facility she could. One that would…

…be a safe, clean, and wholesome environment and
…provide extra security measures for an Alzheimer's patient and
…buy her peace of mind.

The above is a fictionalized account of an event that occurs everyday. If you're reading this, you need help in the selection process. How can you possibly know the right nursing home to choose?

Here are some practical tips to assist in your search. Using these will help de-stress your life and give you confidence that you're doing the best thing for everyone involved.

First, ask trusted members of your community for recommendations. These might include:

• The discharge planner or social workers of the area hospital.
• Your or your loved one's personal physician.
• A local geriatrician (or gerontologist). This is a doctor who specializes in caring for the elderly.
• Area agencies on aging.
• Anyone you know who has a loved one in a home.
• The local long-term care ombudsman. This individual serves as an advocate for residents of any adult care facility. Because they visit homes on a regular basis, they're able to observe the conditions of a particular location, and the care the residents receive. To find one in the U.S., call 1-800-677-1116. (This is the Administration on Aging's Eldercare Locator. Ask for the local ombudsman program.)

Keep in mind you'll likely have a number of options. To prevent your overlooking any possibility, find out right away how many nursing homes are in the area.

Now, to save yourself some time—in the U.S.—find out if the homes participate in Medicare and Medicaid. Since long-term care is very expensive, many homes don't take part in these government-sponsored programs. Because of this, it may narrow down your search based on your loved one's ability to pay.

Once you're armed with this information, start checking the homes out.

As soon as you arrive at a facility, observe the walkways. Are they smooth or uneven? Could they be a stumbling hazard to unsteady feet? It's true—the outside isn't your primary concern. But just keep your eyes open. The way a home is maintained outside could be a good indicator of what's inside.

Next, take “the smell test”—the nose knows. As you open the doors to the home, does it smell like urine or disinfectant? If it does, you might just want to turn around and go elsewhere. This may be a sign of an inattentive staff.

There's no substitute for dropping in unannounced and asking to tour the facility. If you plan on entrusting the care of your loved one to someone else, don't take somebody else's word that the facility is safe, or clean, or…you get the idea.

Become a fly on the wall. Go to the home at different times of the day and night. Since there'll be three shifts of staff in each nursing home, you'll want to observe how well the different workers interact with the residents and respond to them.

Don't forget the kitchen. Never dismiss the importance of the kitchen and its staff. Is the kitchen clean and well organized? Do the workers appear concerned about the residents' nutritional needs? Are they able to accommodate changes to a diet plan?

Speak to the administrator. Is there a rapid staff turnover? If the employees aren't happy, it's likely the residents won't be either.

Also, ask him/her for proof of the home's license. Because of the level of care nursing homes provide, they are highly regulated by state and federal governments. The state issues the license. If the home provides no proof of such…NEXT!

One final thought—if your loved one is able to participate in the selection process, include him or her to the extent possible. You'll both be happier for it.

This isn't an easy time in your life, but you can do this. Take advantage of all the resources available. Carve out some time for yourself—you absolutely must! Then, have the confidence you've done the best you could for everyone involved.