BY: Beverly Bernstein Joie, MS, CMC
President, Elder Connections
As a private geriatric care manager, I spend my professional life guiding families through the often twisted, treacherous journey that aging parents and their frantic children share. The options for better senior housing seem vast from choosing home care to assisted care communities to nursing homes. How does your family choose an assisted care community for your aging parent? Here are some helpful tips as you shop for your senior’s new front door.
7 Tips for Choosing Better Assisted Care Community
Talk to the real people in the community not the selected “ambassadors.” Ask them about their living experience.
Use your senses to tell you how the community “feels, smells, and looks.”
Let your intuition guide you and pay attention to it. Are the residents actively engaged in activity or sitting around doing nothing?
What is the caregiver to resident ratio during the week and on weekends? Is there a licensed professional – RN or LPN always on duty? Do the employees appear “happy?” Ask about the average staff turnover.
Ask to see the survey (inspection) provided by a governmental agency each year.
Plan another visit – do it unannounced and during the weekends to assess the staffing and community activities.
Dine at the facility – experience the food quality and the social interaction among community residents.
Of the 90 million seniors, roughly 58% needed or used assisted living care.
Don’t be a statistic. Better SeniorCare has solutions for your peace of mind.