When you begin a search for assisted living for your aging parents you are likely to be concerned about their happiness, safety and care. You would be looking for a community that provides best care for the rest of their life. The trouble is that it is the biggest decision and requires a proper research as well.
Assisted living is a situation for people who cannot live separately all by oneself but who also do not require full time medical care. Usually, people who enter this community require help with their daily activities like dressing, bathing, toileting etc. Deciding how and when to make this transition may be a little tough both emotionally and physically, but when that is sorted, the next best question is to find a proper senior citizen apartment that is perfect for your loved one. You need to be assured that they will be better cared for and will be provided for the best of the lifestyle that fits their personality. The distance of the community may become a vital consideration as well. Actually, it means that you will be considering a budget for your old parents, visit places and consider advantages before making a final decision.
To make this process a breeze, there are certain guidelines that summarizes and helps you make a key checklist for finding a perfect community.
1. Cost-Effective
The biggest attention when choosing an assisted apartment is the cost of living. You wouldn’t want to let your parents like a property that you cannot afford. Create a list of the best senior assisted apartments that are nearby to get the proper cost estimates. A community will only be able to give proper costing when you personally visit them and share your requirements too. Therefore, it is always recommended to have a transparent discussion upfront about your requirements, costing, and affordability before you select a property.
2. Offering medical care
An assisted living apartments have 24×7 support staff for the safety and care of the aging adults living there. These communities also have various tie-ups with nursing homes, specialty hospitals and clinics. They have tie-ups with various doctors and help is always just a phone call away. If you have an aging senior that needs constant attention then choosing a community that has all these facilities is the correct choice. There are both day care and night care staff available at the senior citizen apartment who take great care of the seniors and give proper medication from time to time.
3. Read Online Reviews
If you have a list of assisted living facility in front of you then you can check online reviews for the same. Online reviews will help you to narrow down your research of these communities and it also provides first-hand account of the amenities available and the support staff too. The reviewers are bound to share everything right from the quality of food, maintenance of the building and room and other life experiences. These are everything that you will not get to hear from the guided tour that you go for. But just a little advice that one must not always believe all that they have read, it is necessary to take the first-hand tour experience too. It is always better to understand for yourself what works for your aging parents and what does not, this will always simplify your search.
4. Make proper enquiry
While you are selecting a senior citizen apartment it isn’t unusual to desire that the staff will treat you just the similar manner as your parents will. You would obviously need some signs which displays the love and affection of the support staff. Now, this can actually be a high expectation for the employees at the community but even then, we do wish to understand if the staff has high levels of compassion. The support staff that is always smiling and shares a good rapport with the community members is a proof that your parents will find the same love here at the facility. You can also observe the other staff members who are working at the apartment.
5. Quality of Food
These are the small details that you must look out for when selecting an assisted facility for your aging parents. Details like serving nutritious and healthy meals to your parents. The food must be well-cooked and fresh. The facility can serve your parents favourite meal or desserts at least once a week. You can check if the apartment follows any dietary preference or restrictions for aging adults. If your parents have any restrictions and preferences then you must speak up about it. Understand the portion size of the food and see how the staff handles it for different individuals. You may want to stay and check if the residents at the apartment get a second helping for their favourite snack or food. These are small nitty-gritties that will help in creating a big difference.
You would have to be realistic in your approach if you wish to find a senior citizen apartment for your loved one. But do remember that making a perfect match may seem impossible or overwhelming at times, but if you follow the above given guidelines you are sure to find a great match. You may just feel that you are drowning in the sea of brochures and online reviews but do give these the correct time and you will find the assisted living of your requirements.
As there is no set standard for an assisted facility, you will get different types of services and amenities at different facilities. It is not going to be an easy task to review each online and come to a decision. That is not a substitute for visiting these apartments in person as it helps you to narrow down on your list and select perfectly.
