How to Choose an Assisted Home for Your Senior Loved One
Assisted living are for seniors who need help with certain individual needs – for example, medication reminders, personal mobility, etc. – but want to maintain their general independence. These facilities also offer 24/7 security, health care access, fitness programs, recreation and social opportunities.
We all want the best assisted living community for our ourselves and our senior loved ones, but not all of these places are the same. Hence, it’s a must to research and examine your options so you can indeed find the best.
How to begin? Check out the different assisted living communities in your target area and create a shortlist. Then call each one and ask for an appointment. You will have to spend time for this, but the peace of mind of knowing that your loved one is in a happy and safe place is more than worth it.
As you examine each of your options, keep the following in mind:
The Staff
Let’s start with the staff. They absolutely have to be well-trained, but that is usually a given. Their attitude is often what spells the difference. Pick a community in which the staff are compassionate and genuinely want to help seniors.
Staff-to-Resident Ratio
Besides being well-trained and sincere, an assisted living facility’s staff should have enough people caring for all the residents. Regardless of their good attitude or training, they will never be enough if their numbers are not enough.
Written Care Plan
Check if the residents in a facility you’re eyeing have a written individual care plan. If not, they may have unidentified and therefore unmet needs.
Adaptability
It is important to know as well if a facility can manage your senior loved one’s needs in the future. Definitely, you should go with a facility that is prepared to address them.
Holistic Environment
Just because they’re old doesn’t mean their needs have become purely physical. Like us, they also need socialization, entertainment and spiritual food. Find a place where all of these things are present.
More Considerations
There could be innumerable other considerations for choosing an assisted living facility, but make sure the basics are covered. For instance, the kitchen. It has to be clean, period. Visit at mealtime so you’ll catch the action. Call buttons are another basic requirements. The facility should have enough.
You can also sit around the outdoor area, observing how the residents communicate with each other. You can see signs of happiness or dissatisfaction just by looking at them talk to each other.
When choosing an assisted living community for a loved one, be sure to consider at least two or three options and make comparisons. You can’t say a certain facility is the best if you don’t have any point of reference.
