Senior Health

Tips for Choosing an Assisted Living Facility

Choosing An Assisted Living Facility

For those who are faced with the decision of trying to help find an assisted living facility for a loved one or family member, it can be a very difficult decision. Besides choosing one that provides the best care, there are other factors to take into consideration to ensure they are happy and well taken care of. Here are a few helpful tips.

Look at Staff Interaction

One of the most important things to consider is how the staff interacts with their residents. Respect is very important as well as compassion and consideration. One way to help get a good, honest look at the staff and their manner towards the residents is to make an unexpected visit. In addition to the way the staff interacts with patients, be sure to take note of how many staff members are on hand to ensure there is enough people working.

What Sort of Activities are Offered?

Quality assisted living facilities will offer a wide range of activities for their residents. Be sure to ask to look at a schedule of some of the activities offered and ask if you can observe. Some assisted living facilities also do things such as regular outings and trips.

How Close is the Home to Family Members and Friends?

The location of the home is also important. Studies have shown that residents who have regular visits and are in closer proximity to their loved ones receive better care. Look for a home that is easy to get to, especially if an emergency arises.

Filed Under: At Home Care, Health & Medical, Nursing Homes & Hospices Tagged With: Assisted living, Nursing home, Senior Health

The Nursing Home Questions

GREAT FALLS, MT - JULY 23: Walter Breuning, a...

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When you are touring nursing homes and assisted living facilities for your parents there are a number of choices. You will tour one place after another and they all look great but the issue is trying to figure out what is best is easier said than done. Part of the problem is that you may not be asking the right questions. There are a number of solid questions to ask so that you understand just what kind of a place your parent is living in.

The first question to ask is how many patients per nurse there are. Plenty of times the problem with assisted living is that there is a discrepancy in the staff numbers they are often over or under staffed. So, in that case you have to determine just how much personal attention they are going to get. If there are more than four patients to a nurse on average you might want to start looking for a different place for your parent to stay.

Another question to ask is just what kind of training the staff has. You don’t want a situation where you parent is in a place where they put training their staff at a minimum. You want to know that they can handle anything and that they are not going to falter if your parents really need them.

Choosing the right place for your parent to live can be difficult. You have to make sure it’s a place they like and you feel comfortable with. These questions will help you.

Filed Under: Nursing Homes & Hospices Tagged With: assistedliving, Nursing home, Senior Health

What is Assisted Living

Some elderly individuals are still somewhat self-reliant but do need help with every day tasks. There may be occasions when there is concern that an individual cannot continue to live at home due to an increased need in medical care or help with daily tasks. In this situation it is not necessary or appropriate to be placed in a nursing home. Extended family members may not have the resources available to bring them into their home either. So, what is the answer? At this point it may be a good idea to consider an assisted living residence or facility.

Assisted living housing allows an individual to continue living on their own but with supervision and assistance for tasks that the individual is unable to do on their own. This may include the supervision of medications. Assisted living is an option which allows an individual to continue to have independence and dignity.

The typical assisted living resident is a senior citizen man or woman who does not need the intense, individual care of a nursing home. Individuals who choose an assisted living situation enjoy the companionship that an assisted living setting can provide as well as have the need for some daily assistance. The actual age range of assisted living residents will vary from facility to facility. There is the added benefit that in an assisted living residence meals are prepared by a kitchen staff and there is generally a central dining facility. This also allows individuals that may otherwise be alone the chance to mingle and associate with others.

Most individuals living in an assisted living facility have their own apartments. Although there is not medical staff on call at all times or monitoring equipment in an individual’s apartment, there is trained staff available at all times of the day and night to assist when needed. Household chores are performed for the residents such as changing sheets, cooking meals, and laundry. Many facilities even have beauty salons. Often, grocery services are available also. The set up and services offered can differ from facility to facility.

Filed Under: Assisted Living Tagged With: assistedliving, Nursing home, Senior Health