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It can be hard to know when it is time to consider putting an aging family member or friend into assisted living. It can be even harder to know which assisted living facility is the right one to choose! There are an increasingly wide set of options for assisted living, so it’s important to really weigh what your loved one’s highest needs really are.
Some signs that assisted living might be the right step are:
- Chronic health conditions
- Cognitive decline
- Mobility and instability issues
- Inability to consistently manage medications
- Isolation and depression
- Poor hygiene or eating habits
If you have started noticing any of those signs, or if your loved one is just increasingly struggling being at home, it’s probably time to at least explore what options are out there.
Starting Your Search
One of the first things to figure out is if the general location your loved one will be living is critically important to you. Having them close by would mean that you potentially will be able to visit them more easily and frequently.
Being strict about location will mean that you may have less options to choose from though, so if you are more worried about the quality of the facility, being flexible on location may help.
Things to look for in a good assisted living facility include:
- Safety features, like grab bars in the showers
- Accessibility features
- Well-kept social areas and community programming
- General cleanliness
- A lower staff-to-resident ratio, including during the night
- Training of the staff and turnover rate
- Services offered at the facility, especially if any extra hands-on services may be provided
- Comfort levels of the furnishings
- Resident culture
Narrowing Down the Options
After you narrow down your options to a couple key facilities, you should definitely go tour them for yourself. Being in the spaces will help you get a general feel for what living there could be like. It’s important to talk to many of their employees, and even better if you can talk to some of the residents.
You should be prepared to ask specific questions that relate to the needs of your family member or loved one. Do they need help with medication administration? You should ask if that is a service that is provided. Are they a fall risk? You should ask if there is 24-hour emergency help onsite.
You should also be prepared to talk about the costs associated with living at each facility. What all is included, and how does billing generally work? You should feel comfortable talking through whether there are any government, private, or corporate programs available to help cover the costs to the residents at their facility as well.
RELATED: Dementia and Cognitive Decline: Know the Difference Between the Medical Condition and the Natural Aging Process
Preparing Your Loved One
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Your loved one should also have some input into where they are going to be living. You want to make sure that they are comfortable with the move and the concept of having new people helping them every day. If there are specific things that are important to them, it’s critical to help prioritize some of them in your search.
Additionally, you should make sure whatever facility you choose is not only right for your loved one in the short-term, but also in the long-term, so that you don’t have to worry about another move for hopefully a very long time.
Suncrest Senior Living
This information was provided by Suncrest Senior Living. Suncrest offers memory care and assisted living care with several home-based locations in Southeast Michigan.
Interested in learning more about Suncrest Senior Living? Contact Suncrest online, or call at (248) 207-5378.
To get in touch with Suncrest Senior Living please complete the form below:
CONTACT A SUNCREST SENIOR CARE SPECIALIST
PHONE: (248) 207-5378