More than one million people over the age of 65 reside in assisted living facilities in the United States. As a common housing choice for the elderly, this decision will not be easy for all families. It might be difficult to find a suitable home for elderly parents who are no longer able to care for themselves. When looking for an assisted living facility for a parent or loved one, use these seven pointers to guide your search.
Affordability
The price of an assisted living facility is a major factor to consider. If you don’t want your parents to fall in love with a care facility that is too expensive, you need to be careful.
To help your parents pay for their new home, talk to a financial advisor about how much money they have saved up for retirement and whether they should sell some of it. Make sure you and your spouse are on the same page regarding the maximum amount of money you’re willing to spend.
The best senior living facilities in your area should be on your shortlist for pricing estimations. For an assisted-living home to give you an accurate answer, they need to know more about your family’s unique circumstances.
Observe Others’ Opinions
Assisted living facility reviews can help you and your loved ones choose the best ones in your region. Reviews can provide insight into what it’s like to live in an assisted living facility from the perspective of residents who have been there.
There are complaints about anything from bad service to the quality of the cuisine offered at the restaurant’s supper service. Everything you won’t hear from a tour guide is here.
However, customer feedback isn’t the only factor to consider. Even so, a tour of the site is highly recommended.
Many times bad reviews are simply because the facility didn’t work out for someone else. The dinners that one family disliked can be favourites for yours.
Find out what works and what doesn’t for your parents on your own. If you come across any allegations of abuse or neglect, go on to the next assisted-living home.
It doesn’t make sense to put your parents in a possibly dangerous setting when there are so many options for assisted living facilities.
Check the plumbing systems
It’s possible that your senior won’t even notice that the plumbing has to be maintained. To add insult to injury, they may not remember to check their homes for leaks or rusted pipes. If you don’t know what you’re doing, call a plumber service. Problems with your elderly loved one’s pipes and fixtures can save you time and money. Sensor-operated taps and showers can also be installed to make independent living more convenient.
Talk to the Workers
It’s not unusual for families to desire their elderly parents to be treated with the same amount of care and attention that they receive from their loved ones when they move into an assisted living facility. Despite the fact that this may be a difficult standard for staff to reach, you still want to see evidence that they care about elderly people.
The presence of employees who appear to like their work and have a good rapport with residents is a sign of a loving atmosphere for your elderly parents. See how residents engage with staff workers who aren’t on your tour.
Make sure to ask your tour guide about any poor reviews you come across online. If they are aware of the problems, inquire about their intentions for solving them.
The Quality of the Meal
Details are the devil. If you do something as simple as cooking your parents’ favourite meal every week, you’ll be doing your part to better their lives.
Talk to the staff about your parents’ food preferences and limits to see if there are any possibilities for them. You can get a sense of how portion sizes are handled if you ask to examine the food while you are there.
If residents are hungry between meals, you’ll want to know if they can have seconds or snacks. Anyone with a voracious appetite will appreciate this.
Stay Close to Home
Determine the location of a nearby assisted living institution. Visits to your parents should be quick and painless, allowing you to spend more time with them while still maintaining your normal routine.
Only if there are other family members nearby can the benefits of moving out of town outweigh the drawbacks. As your parents’ age, you can’t underestimate the value of regular visits from loved ones.
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