The decision to move a loved one to assisted living is just the start of the process. You want to find a home that your loved one will enjoy. You want your loved one to be safe and happy, and you want to make sure it is a place that will improve their overall quality of life.
Finding the right senior living community can be difficult. You have a lot of choices, and different facilities offer different living experiences. In this post, we are going to go over some of the points that can help a person to find the right assisted living center for their loved one.
Visit as many as you can
You should start by making a list of all of the assisted living centers in your area. Do some online research to learn more about the different options, and take your loved one with you on a tour. You don’t want to commit to the first place that has a nice brochure or website. The marketing materials might not be an accurate representation of the living experience, and this gives you a good chance to get a feel for what the different facilities have to offer.
Check out the neighborhood
The facility is an important part of the experience, but you also want to consider the neighborhood. Does the surrounding area look nice? Does the neighborhood provide a peaceful environment for your loved one?
The grounds
When you arrive at the assisted living center, you are going to want to take some notes about the grounds. To start, is there enough parking for when you visit? If your loved one is bringing a car, will they have a safe place to park their vehicle? You also want to look to see whether the grounds are well kept. Look for walkways and outdoor spaces where your loved one may want to spend time.
Common spaces
Take note of the common spaces that your loved one will share with other residents. What types of rooms and spaces are there for the residents to spend their time? Are the hallways easy to navigate? Is the décor inviting like a home or is it sort of cold and practical?
Safety features
You should look for the safety features in the facility. Look for handrails in the hallways, smoke detectors, sprinklers and emergency call systems. Are the rooms and common areas well lit? Are the hallways and rooms accessible to walkers and wheelchairs?
Living spaces
You’ll need to ask if you can tour the different types of rooms. Consider whether each resident gets their own room, or if they share rooms. Look for the types of amenities that are available. Do the rooms have their own bathroom? Is there a kitchen area? Is there enough storage space? Can your loved one bring some of their own furniture if they want to?
Talk to the people
When you go on the tour, an employee from the assisted living center should act as a guide. This can be helpful when you are trying to find your way around and if you have any questions, but you also want to interact with some of the staff and the residents. When you talk to employees at the facility, it can give you an idea of how they will interact with residents. When you talk to residents, you can just ask them general questions about their living experience. Ask about the activities that they enjoy and what they do with their free time.
Activities
You’ll want to look into the types of activities that are available. Some places might have a game room or a reading room with a library. They might offer things like an exercise program, various creative activities and they might have planned events and trips. Consider the types of activities that are available, and think about if they are things that your loved one would enjoy.
These are general points that you should consider when looking for a senior community. However, different seniors have different needs. Before you start looking at facilities, you are going to want to account for all of your loved one’s special needs. When you go on the tour, you’ll need to make sure to inquire about what they can do to help your loved one manage any of the special requirements that they may have.
For seniors in Simi Valley, Angels on Tracy offers an assisted living experience with the comforts of home. Call us today to learn more about the services we provide or to schedule a tour for you and your loved one.