Assisted living centers are for seniors who wish to live a self-regulating lifestyle but might require assistance for some needs. In assisted living facilities, the elderly get both independence and assistance with their specific day-to-day needs. These requirements include medication reminders, bathing, meals, dressing, personal mobility, and transportation. Moreover, assisted living centers offer an emergency call system, 24-hour security, housekeeping, personal laundry service, health services, exercise and fitness programs, and recreational and social activities.
Most people want to join the best assisted living community. Although there are several assisted living facilities spread all over the country, finding the appropriate one that meets your needs is a challenging task. The following are factors that you should consider before joining an assisted living facility.
Services
While typical assisted living centers provide housekeeping, dining services, medication management support, and exercise and fitness programs, some offer individualized services based on certain health needs. For example, almost 60% of facilities now provide dementia or an Alzheimer’s disease program, a similar percentage offer a diabetes program, and around 50% of facilities house depression and heart programs.
Moreover, many facilities have invested in programs that boost the quality of life such as community outings, pet and art therapy, and piano and computer lounges.
Location
Often, the aim is to remain close to your loved ones or in the local area. However, the location of the facilities affects how they run, due to the area laws. For instance, some states limit the amount of medical help the residents can give, so if you require a substantial amount in such states, you might not be the ideal candidate for the center after all.
Size
The smallest facility in the United States of America has four licensed beds while the largest has around 500. The size of an assisted living facility matters in various ways to people, although what might matter most is staff-to-clients.
Culture
You cannot know what it is like to reside in an assisted living center till you join it. However, you can have a telling taste if you pay a visit to likely options first. Nowadays, it is highly reasonable that people would want to search on the Internet to find information quickly, but since you or a family member will be living there for the conceivable future – you would not rely on an Internet search. Visiting the facility, conversing with the residents and staff, and getting a feel of the environment is critical to making an informed decision.
Change to advanced care
The thought of moving from your home to a residence with care might be overwhelming. Therefore, it is normal to resist considering the next cause of action. Nevertheless, doing so is vital as you graduate through various life stages, and assisted living is not an exception. Assisted living is not forever.
Some assisted living centers are part of a continuous care retirement facility that allows patients to transit to skilled nursing centers when and if the need arises. Other facilities might have relationships with health providers they refer their clients to when the resident health needs exceed the facility’s capacity. Thus, it is vital to think of what you or a family member might require in a year or so– and ask the center if and how they can address those requirements, and the much they would cost.
Cost
The cost that comes with living in an assisted living community is an important factor to consider before choosing a facility to join. Most assisted living patients pay through home equity, benefits for veterans, life insurance, long-term care insurance, personal finances such as savings, or a combination of resources.