Assisted Living Residences provide accommodation and varying levels of care and supportive services in a home-like, residential setting.
Services typically include meals, social and recreational programs, 24-hour emergency response, laundry and housekeeping services, supervision or administration of medications and varying degrees of assistance with the activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, and routines. Nursing services may or may not be provided. Costs to residents are market driven and, in some
cases, may be subsidized by government programs.
Tips on Choosing Assisted Living
Finding an appropriate Assisted Living Residence can be a very time-consuming and rather daunting task.
When making a decision to choose an Assisted Living Residence, you should keep the following in mind:
- You, the person affected by the decision and key family members should be involved in the
process.
- Making important life choices can be emotionally stressful and may strain relationships.
Assign
one family member to assist with all the necessary decisions and arrangements. If you have no
family living close enough to help, there are qualified people to help. Try to find a Senior Move
Manager in your area.
Considerations in selecting an appropriate Assisted Living Residence include its location -
- Proximity to
community amenities such as hospitals and churches, the availability of transportation for shopping,
outings and medical appointments.
- The quality of food, safety and security issues, the cleanliness of the
Residence, the breadth of social and recreational activities offered.
- Assisted Living Residence's
ability to meet your needs now and as needs change, are other important factors.
Assisted Living Residences can vary in terms of the programs, services and levels of care provided, so it is
important to understand what services are included in the posted monthly or daily rental rates, and what
services, if any, are available at an additional cost. Some residences also “move in incentives” which can
help with the cost of hiring a moving company or move manager.
Also make sure you understand what
happens if you or your loved one should decide to or need to move from the Assisted Living Residence.
Once you've become familiar with the services and amenities offered in Assisted Living Residences, and
identified the top candidates in your area, it's a good idea to make a list, actually two lists.
The first is a
list of the things you must have in order to live comfortably and the second, a list of what you would like
to have, since what we need is often quite different from what we want. This checklist will be useful in
helping you narrow your choices.
Next, call ahead to schedule a tour of each Assisted Living Residence. Many will offer a tour and a meal,
to show off their Residence. Try to observe "a day in the life" at the residence - perhaps attend some
activities or stay for a meal.
Many Assisted Living Residences offer short-term trial stays ranging from a
couple of nights to a few weeks, which is an excellent way to truly "test the waters".
Here are some other suggestions to help you choose the Assisted Living Residence that can best suit your
needs and preferences, or those of a loved one:
While touring an Assisted Living Residence, ask if you can wander around on your own to get a
better feel for the Assisted Living Residence.
- Ask residents about their experience at the Assisted Living Residence; their likes and dislikes - do
residents appear to be happy and enjoying themselves?
- After a scheduled visit, drop in at the Assisted Living Residence another day at a different time of
day to see if there are any differences.
- Ask for resident family references who you can contact for their opinions. When touring an
Assisted Living Residence, keep in mind your lists - what you need and what you want.
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