Questions to Ask When Moving a Loved One into Assisted Living

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Making the decision to move a loved one into an assisted living facility is never easy. There are so many factors to consider and it can be difficult to know what questions to ask. Here are some important questions to help you make the best decision for your loved one:

1. How does your community welcome a new resident?

This is important because of the first couple of days to a week can really shape your loved ones perception on the assisted living. The assisted living should have a welcoming culture that makes your loved one as comfortable as possible in the new environment.

2. What is the staff-to-resident ratio?

This is an important question to ask because there is no standard that is set by law or regulations. If the staff to resident ratio is low then that means that there is ample staff to meet the needs of the residents. This allows the staff to be more attentive and more proactive than reactive. If the staff to resident ratio is high, this could cause some cracks in the care of the loved one which is never a good thing.

3. What are the visiting hours?

Nothing would be more disappointing then getting out of work, grabbing the kids and going to see grandma/grandpa but when arriving at the facility to find that visitors are not allowed at the time. It is important to consider visiting hours and what are the limits on visiting hours when considering a facility.

4. Can the loved one be taken out of the facility?

Imagine going to take your loved one to a picnic in the park on a nice sunny day. You pack up the car, head to the facility. Upon arriving, they informed you that the loved one cannot leave the facility. That would be disappointing and would leave a sour taste in your mouth. If you plan on including your loved one in activities outside of the facility, this is a must ask to make sure you can plan correctly.

5. What are the amenities and activities offered?

Your loved one just went from living on their own, to now needing help but what can be done to help them keep intact that independent mindset? One, would be to offer a variety of amenities and activities so that the loved one can pick and choose what they like to do or maybe pick up a new hobby.

The activities could be weekly bingo, or the facility could put on a holiday party. Maybe the facility will celebrate your loved one on their birthday. It is a good idea, to get to know what the facility does and how they implement it.

LEARN MORE: Guide to Assisted Living Oakland County MI (Care, Facilities & Help)

6. Is the facility pet-friendly?

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This is a great question to ask, if your loved has an animal they are attached to and want to bring the animal with them. Your loved one might love your pet and it would bring great joy to your loved one if they could get to visit with your pet. If your loved one is an animal lover, finding out the facilities policy on animals is a must.

7. What is the policy on moving residents to a higher level of care if their needs change?

To go along with the above question, is does the facility have the higher level of care if things were to get worst for your loved one. As your loved gets older, it is inevitable that their health will decline. This is a great way to get ahead of the curve, and also help you with some expectations on the next step were to occur for your loved one.

Moving a loved one into an assisted living facility is a hard, complicated and stressful decision. Asking questions like the above as a guide, plus one’s that pertain to your or your loved one personal needs or wants will help navigate the correct assisted living. Getting the answers to questions will help put your mind to ease that the facility was the best overall fit for your loved one.

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.