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There comes a time in our lives, where we may need to choose a place for our loved ones to live. It may be because our loved one wants to keep some of their independence, or maybe it’s no longer feasible for you to care for them at home.
Regardless of the reason, you must be able to find the best quality place for them to live the rest of your lives.
It may seem overwhelming when so many other things are happening in your life during this precarious time. But hopefully, by the time you are done reading this, you’ll have not only an understanding of what to look for in a senior living facility, but you’ll also have peace of mind that the person you care so much about is in good hands.
Being “in good hands” has become one of the reasons for increased popularity of senior living communities. They are viable alternative to living independently or with family members.
Many seniors prefer the socialization and community aspects of living in a senior living facility, as well as the convenience of having services and amenities available on site. Therefore, it’s vital to always look for the options these facilities offer and convenience you would expect from them.
Assess Your Loved One’s Needs
The first thing to do is determine the needs your loved has. For example, do they have a condition such as Alzheimer’s disease, or are they diabetic? Maybe your loved one recently had a stroke and needs rehabilitation. The specific type of care that is needed is on what you need to focus.
A person who has issues with memory and dementia will have different needs than someone who just needs help with the daily requirements of taking care of themselves. So you’ll need to research the community to ensure that they offer the expertise required to ensure your loved one is taken care of.
Where is the Community Located?
Location is important on many different levels. If family members want to visit regularly, location becomes inherently a concern. The spouse of the loved one may want to make regular visits, and if they live far away, visiting them as often as they would like will be next to impossible.
Location is also another concern because of the availability of staff. A facility located in a smaller town will have fewer human resources to pull from to get the necessary professionals to keep everything operating smoothly.
You may also find that moving to a larger city from say, a rural community may offer more treatment options that will improve the quality of life for the patient. The facility’s location is so important on many levels, and you can’t overlook it.
Evaluating the Quality of Care Provided is a Must
It’s not enough to have a sprawling medical facility that looks gorgeous. The services they provide must be top-notch. You don’t want to put your loved one in less desirable community that will cause them an untold amount of agony. That’s why you must do your research. The Internet allows you to find reviews: both positive and not-so-positive.
A good way of finding reviews from the public is to enter the name of the place you’re considering into Google. A quick search should show up on many different sites offering reviews. You should be aware that sometimes reviewers might not tell the truth. Sometimes people might get into a heated debate with a nurse and go off on every review site they can find.
Because of that, you shouldn’t weigh one review as being more important than the others. However, if you begin to see patterns left by other reviewers, it’s probably more than likely that they’re onto something. If enough people leave similar comments, there is a better chance that the reviews are accurate.
What Activities are Offered?
If there was one thing most commonly overlooked when choosing a long-term care facility, it would be if they offered activities for the people living there. A well-rounded community will have many activities for those living there.
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What types of activities should you be looking for? Well, it depends on the condition and age of the person you are looking for a place to stay. Arts and crafts are always a big hit for seniors and even games like shuffleboard.
What you’re trying to do is find a place that offers various activities. Even a game of bingo can mean the difference between laying in bed depressed all day and feeling like life is worthy of living for someone who can’t get around like they used to.
Ask for Feedback From Your Loved One
You should take your loved one to the community you’re considering and see what they think of it. You might not be able to do this if your loved one doesn’t have the capacity to make such decisions. However, you can certainly assess their reaction and potential connection to the community before making your decision.
It would be a serious mistake to move your loved one into the place without asking them first what they thought of it. Then, as the administrator gives you a tour, ensure your loved one knows they can speak up and ask questions at any time. You’re trying to find out if the place is right for your loved one and also put them at ease.
Remember that your loved one will spend nearly every minute of their life at this place. If they are stuck in a place that they don’t like, they will be unhappy. No one wants that. Encourage your loved one to speak up and get to know as many staff and maybe even some people who live there while you take a tour.
Key Points
There are many ways to help make a good decision while making the process easier and smoother. One example is using a website like SeniorSite. These kinds of sites allow you to see communities in your area and start to investigate to see which one is best for your loved one.
Choosing the right place is a must; never forget this is a quality-of-life issue. You’re not just finding a place where your loved one can hang out; this is where they will spend the rest of their lives. So, with that in mind, make sure you do your due diligence and choose the right place.
