What type of paperwork do we need to have ready before we place our family member into a nursing home?

Minimally, you need for your relatively to NEED to be in a nursing home. A doctor has to say that she needs to be there.

You can start with a "needs assessment" if you haven't already gotten one. If you've got a NH in mind, call and ask them what they need. Just for starts, she will need to have a negative TB test, so get that done if she hasn't had one in the last 6 months or so.

This depends on many factors. Is the person competent? You have a POA, guardianship? Are they cooperative?