How to choose an assisted living facility
Moving into an assisted living facility can be an intimidating process. There are so many things to think about. Whether it is you or a loved one moving, separation anxiety and worries that you won’t find a comfortable facility can be overwhelming. You are choosing a new permanent home, and it is essential to make sure you know what waits for you when you arrive. However, finding the right assisted living facility doesn’t have to be difficult. Follow these tips to make it a less strenuous experience for yourself and all involved.
First and foremost, an assisted living referral service is a great tool if you’re looking for someone that can do the leg work for you. They research the various facilities in a given area and can give you insight into whether each one fits your needs and wants, taking your extensive and overwhelming list of options and turning it into a comprehensive selection of places that are all viable choices. Moving into assisted living is an emotional experience, and having an objective third party contribute to your decision making process can be extremely beneficial. Each facility has pros and cons, and their websites and tours will do what they can to hide the cons. Are you or your loved one a food connoisseur? Few places will admit to having a sub-par chef. How friendly is the staff? Are the other residents outgoing, or do they keep to themselves? Many residences have a financial interest in telling you what you want to hear in regards to these questions, but you need to hear the truth. Hiring an assisted living referral service is the best way to get unbiased answers.
Another great place to seek advice is from other people you know that have moved themselves or loved ones into assisted living. Do you have a relative or friend who recently made this switch? What do they have to say about their facility? If they are pleased, you’ll have a connection in the facility that will make adjustment that much smoother. If they aren’t, perhaps they can tell you what to look out for, and what their alternatives were. If they aren’t sure that their selection is best for you, they can at least provide insight into how they made their selection, giving you an assisted living referral service that they trust or another resource to help begin your search.
Once you have narrowed your selection, it is essential to tour any place you are interested in choosing. An assisted living referral service can help you make a list of things to keep an eye out for during these tours, but be sure to bring the list with you in written form, so that you don’t forget everything while trying to take it all in. At this stage you are simply picking one from your list of top choices, so it’s time to nit pick. Who has the best dining facilities? Who has the cleanest rooms? Who has the best security? And which of these is most important to you?
Make sure to look for the little things. Few residences will be so unclean that they will have visible dirt as you walk through the building, but a closer look at baseboards and corners will give insight into just how clean the place really is. Visit during an activity to see how friendly the staff and other residents really are. Eat a meal in the dining room while you’re there to see how both food quality and service are.
Choosing a new home for yourself or a loved one is a huge decision, but it doesn’t have to be a stressful one. These tools can help you rest easy that you are making the right decision, and that all of the information you received concerning the new living situation is reliable.
Written by Sean Cady
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