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Have you come to the point of realizing that living at home is no longer the best option for you or your loved one? As the level of care needed increases and the increasing difficulty to stay connected to a community, it can be hard to find a way to meet those needs and that is where senior living facilities come in. There is a range of housing options available for seniors that offer varying levels of help.

What is a Senior Living Facility?

Senior living facilities are communities that seniors can choose to live in to receive the extra day to day help they need, while being involved and connected to a community. These facilities range in the type of care and involvement offered, many with the option to increase the level of care as you need it.

Different Types of Senior Living Facilities

– Retirement Home

Also referred to as independent living communities, these places are geared towards offering a low maintenance lifestyle, taking care of home and yard maintenance. There is usually no medical staff on hand at any time, though security is usually available (www.seniorsguide.com).

– Assisted Living Facility

Provides help with daily living activities such as laundry, meals, and even bathing , but usually doesn’t provide much medical care, although a licensed provider of some sort may be available for small windows of time. (www.consumeraffairs.com).

– Continuing Care Retirement Community

These communities will usually have senior apartments, assisted living, and nursing homes all on one property. This is ideal for those not planning on moving in with relatives. They can transition to different levels of care as they need it (www.consumeraffairs.com).

– Senior Home Sharing

This is when older adults decide to share a home, either with a younger person who can help with chores and errands, or other older adults willing to pool resources (www.consumeraffairs.com).

– Senior Group Home

This is a home-like setting where seniors usually live in a house, sharing common spaces. Staff is on-hand to help prep meals and help with housekeeping, but offer little aid with personal care and medical care (www.consumeraffairs.com).

– Nursing Home

Provides 24 hour medical care and supervision. A good choice for those needing long term medical care (www.consumeraffairs.com).

– Memory Care Facility

Usually part of an assisted living or nursing home facility, these places serve dementia patients, offering more staff on hand for supervision against wandering and self harm, and care plans specific to dementia and Alzheimer’s patients (www.memorycare.com).

– Respite Care

These facilities center on providing 24 /7 care for a short term period. This is great for those recovering from procedures, temporary illnesses, or instances when a caretaker must have a period of time off for whatever reason (www.consumeraffairs.com).

– Hospice

This is meant for patients with terminal illness. Care can occur at home or in a facility and is focused on pain management for the remainder of their time (www.cancer.org).

How to Evaluate Senior Living Facilities

Senior Citizens Standing in the Road


Photo by Hector Reyes on Unsplash

The very first thing you must do before you start looking for a senior living facility is to assess your needs and make a list. Knowing exactly what you need will help you decide what type of place you want to choose.

After identifying the type of facility you are looking for, you can look up a list of such facilities in the area you or your loved one want to live. This will most likely narrow down your choices to a select few.

Here are some things to look for and keep in mind to help you decided if the place you are considering is the right fit (www.aarp.org):

  • Is the facility clean?
  • How is the decor? Does it look nice and feel good to be there?
  • Are the community spaces inviting? Do they seem like they are used?
  • Is the facility designed for safety and accessibility? Look for grab bars, ramps, zero threshold showers, wide entry ways for wheelchairs etc.
  • Are there security measures for Altziemers and dementia patients?
  • Are emergency procedures and plans in place for fires, storms, and power outages?
  • How big are the rooms and bathrooms? Are they private or shared?
  • Can residents decorate and rearrange their living space?
  • Does there seem to be enough staff on hand? Are they friendly and do they interact with the residents?
  • Do they have medical staff on hand? Is someone with the proper license available for emergencies? Do they have the ability in terms of liability to treat minor instances?

Time to Set Up a Tour

Elderly Woman Smiling


Photo by Brandon Hoogenboom on Unsplash

Once you have your choices narrowed down and know what to look for, it’s time to reach out and schedule a visit and tour. With a clear idea of your needs and the questions above, you will be able to discern the best fit. If you are located in Michigan, be sure to schedule a visit to Suncrest Senior Living at one of our locations in Novi, Milford, Highland, South Lyon, and Farmington Hills.

 

Suncrest Senior Living

 

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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