Tip to Touring a Senior Living Community

The decision to transition from independent living to a senior living facility is always hard as it conveys the idea or perception that one can't take care of themselves anymore. Fortunately, nothing could be farther from the truth. Many seniors take the journey for other reasons such as:

*The desire to be around other senior citizens
*Availabilty of interesting community events (shuffleboard, bingo, arts & crafts, etc.)
*The concept of nearby help or assistance when it's needed

However, making the decision is only half the journey. The other half is finding the "best" community or facility for you.

Here's a very good write-up that I saw speaking to that very topic:

View the original article here

While making the decision to transition into a senior living community can be difficult for individuals, once the decision to move is made, the next step is finding the perfect community to move in to. Selecting the perfect senior living community can prove to be a bit of a challenge based on specific health care needs and personal preferences for community atmosphere and amenities.

 

 The following are a few different categories you should keep in mind when touring senior living communities. 

When visiting an assisted or independent living community for the first time it is important to know the background on the facility and the company. Details on how long it has been owned, if it is for-profit or not-for-profit community, their operational philosophy, the longevity of staff, and access to the on-site staff is critical information to have when making the decision to move into a community. Inquire about staff and volunteers, how often owners/mangers are on site and ask yourself, does the community feel "warm" and "cozy"?

Ask about trips and activities offered. Activities should be designed to meet the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual and vocational needs of the residents. Transportation should also be provided for medical appointments, religious services if desired as well as fun activities with their friends and family such as sporting events.

This is usually a priority when selecting a senior living community. You want to make sure that health and wellness programs are available including assistance with showering, dressing, escorts and medication management. Questions that should be addressed include,

What services or programs are in place to emphasize the importance of health and wellness?Are nursing aides on-site 24 hours a day?Is there a geriatric physician on-site? Other categories include services and amenities, meals, resident agreements and future needs.

Here's a helpful video that talks about assisted living and how to choose the right facility. 

To see learn more about assisted living devices, visit Gracefields.com.

What Does Assisted Living Mean?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the term "assisted living" as: "a system of housing and limited care that is designed for senior citizens who need some assistance with daily activities but do not require care in a nursing home".

While that may be the official definition, the term itself has evolved a bit so that it is now typically associated with housing facilities or residences that are geared towards either senior citizens or people with disabilities. The "assisted living" terminology was coined in the early 1990's to describe situations where independent living is not an option, but the person doesn't require 24 hour care and supervision either.

In most cases, the move to true assisted living is a slow transistion. Most start with some form of very basic in-home care. When seniors who live alone first start to want just a little help across the home, it's natural for their family members to deal with needs by employing a home care aide to visit occasionally. Very frequently, the senior just doesn't need to move to an "old people's house", and employing a visiting attendant solves this difficulty.

And it may initially appear to become a less expensive alternative than assisted living or alternative types of residential care. It's cheaper (so we believe). Problem solved, right?

For most families, it's acceptable in the beginning. Home care is frequently adequate for seniors with lesser needs - those who might use someone to check-in and do some housekeeping. However, for seniors who desire help with day to day personal activities like visiting the toilet, it may be insufficient or prohibitively expensive.

As seniors age, their needs generally grow. Then eight hours daily, regular of the week. And eventually a live-in aide becomes needed. But somewhere along the line between around the clock attention and only a small home care, a line is crossed when assisted living may be the less expensive alternative.

For example, the price for typical helped nationwide is around $3400 per month, while home care generally costs about $25 per hour. A home care aide who visited visited five hours daily, everyday, prices more compared to the average cost assisted living community. And unlike assisted living, where help is accessible 24/7, a senior with five hours of home care daily would be entirely on their own for the remaining 19 hours of every day.

Families which were initially satisfied with home care often start to find it challenging for reasons beyond price. Matching the senior with the appropriate, trustworthy health professional can be hugely ambitious. Sometimes families will go through several caregivers till they find who appears right, but when that health professional leaves for another job, the entire procedure for finding the best match begins over.

And even families who find a very long serving aide whose personality meshes with the senior, there are inevitable situations of missed work, absence, and vacation. This is challenging for obvious reasons, particularly whenever there aren't any relatives or other loved ones nearby to fill the gaps in care.

Seniors who rely entirely on a home care aide could also start to endure the damaging effects of isolation, particularly when they don't leave have many visitors. Whereas seniors who reside in an assisted living community have someone to speak to or chat with anytime they enjoy, a senior relying on home care might have little chances for in person companionship aside from the health professional.

Is assisted living right for your situation? Only you can make that decision.