Family members have to choose the best living facility for their loved ones. However, with the growth in assisted living facilities, it might be hard for you to know which one is the best. It would help if you considered several factors, and below are some tips for choosing the best assisted living facilities.
Check the Cost
One of the major things to consider when choosing an assisted living facility is the cost. Make a budget, depending on the finances you have. You do not want your seniors to get used to the assisted living facility, which is unaffordable. Most assisted living facilities require you to pay monthly fees, and your budget should check in to the future. Therefore, as you research the best-assisted living facility, let your budget guide you. With a financial planner, you can plan on using your senior’s retirement money to cover the cost, or you can opt to sell your senior’s assets to cover the cost. However, if you are in a position to cover the cost, ensure you have in mind the maximum amount you want to spend to get a facility that matches that.
Check the Quality of Meals
As we all know, seniors are vulnerable to diseases, and their nutrition is very important. You want your senior to eat a healthy diet every day, and you need to confirm if the assisted living facility will provide that. Additionally, you can talk to the management about your dietary preferences to know the options available. It is also vital to know who handles food preparation and planning and how they serve the meals. Other facilities serve meals in rooms while others serve in a common area. Your senior might be uncomfortable eating in a common area, or in another case, your senior might enjoy dining with others. Therefore, you need to make sure you choose a place where they will eat comfortably.
Talk to the Staff
The staff at the assisted living facility are the ones who will be interacting with your seniors every day. Just as you love your seniors, you will want them to feel loved when at the facility. It might be hard for the staff to meet your bar, but you will evaluate how loving and compassionate they are when you talk to them. As you tour the assisted living facility, try and talk to the staff. Ask them questions about how they handle different situations, and evaluate if your seniors will be comfortable in their hands. Also, during the visits, observe how the staff treats other residents. Check if they genuinely care, check if they love helping them out, and observe if they know the residents by name. To ensure how the staff handles the residents, visit the facility several times unannounced and interact with the staff.
Check the Services Offered
There are different categories of assisted living facilities. Compare memory care vs nursing home, and go for exactly what you need. Memory care facilities offer special services to people with memory issues like Alzheimer’s or dementia. In memory care facilities, there are set routines that help the elderly lower stress levels. Also, the seniors in memory care facilities get more attention from caregivers. On the other hand, nursing homes offer services to the elderly who need help with daily activities and medication but do not suffer from memory issues.
Check the Location
As much as your parents will be safe at the assisted living facility, you still need to check on them once in a while. As you choose the assisted living facility, let it be in an accessible place. If possible, take your seniors to a facility that is close to your home. Let it be a place to drive to check on them and spend some quality time with them. However, if there are no assisted facilities near your home, you can take them to the nearest town or to a place where you have relatives around. Visiting your seniors is a sign of love, and it is essential during their old age.
Moving from home to an assisted living facility is always a big transition for seniors. Ensure you choose a place that offers a healthy environment, healthy food, and engages your seniors in several activities to keep them healthy.
