How to Find the Right Assisted Living Home for Your Loved One

When it comes time to have the conversation with your aging parent, grandparent, or other loved one about transitioning into the next phase of life, you might be met with some emotion and a lot of questions. It is no doubt going to be a difficult time as your loved one will feel as though they are in a situation where they are giving up their independence. However difficult the conversation might be, if it is no longer safe or realistic for your loved one to live alone, then new options must be explored.

One thing that can help ease this transition a great deal is finding the perfect assisted living facility that will make them feel right at home. There are most likely going to be several options to choose from, but it is important that you take the right steps to find the most ideal living situation for your loved one.

If you are beginning the process of searching for an assisted living facility for someone close to you, there are a few things you should consider in order to ensure that you select the place that will feel like home. Here are a few tips to help you find the right assisted living facility for your loved one.

Decide on the Type of Facility You Need

If this is your first time really looking into the topic of assisted living facilities, you might be surprised to find that such facilities are not all the same in terms of what they offer. While the standard of care for the aging must meet certain criteria, different facilities are categorized differently based on just how much care they offer. Some are designed to offer as much independence as possible while others are more hands-on and have different types of medical staff on board at all times.

Many facilities, like Brandywine Living, offer services specifically designed to help residents living with Alzheimer’s. While they also have residents not suffering from this condition, they have trained and qualified staff on hand to administer memory care to those who might be in a situation that necessitates it. Ultimately, if your loved one is in need of specific types of care, you should begin your search for the right assisted living home by only looking into ones that offer the services they will need in order to live as comfortably and happily as possible.

Non-Medical Services

While the most important thing to consider when searching for the right assisted living facility is the type of medical care that is offered, there are several other significant points to look for as well. Essentially, you don’t want your loved one to feel as though they are being cooped up all day with nothing to do. Most assisted living facilities offer activities and other things to do throughout the week, but you want to ensure that the one you choose offers both the type and the amount of activities that your loved one will appreciate.

In other words, if your loved one is accustomed to socializing and being moderately active throughout the day, look for a facility that has a busy schedule filled with things that seniors enjoy doing. If, on the other hand, your loved one prefers to socialize a bit on their own terms, a facility that isn’t overloaded with activities might be more up their alley.

It is important in your search to keep your loved one’s opinion in the loop. It is, after all, going to be their home. Keep them part of the greater conversation and ask them what sorts of things they see themselves doing throughout the week. The more involved you can make them in this part of the process, the better the chances will be of facilitating a smoother transition.

Food and Nutrition

A major part of daily life for anyone is the food that they will eat. For this reason, it is important to get nutritional and dietary information from all of the facilities that you research to see what they offer. Some seniors need special diets, such as a heart-friendly diet. If your loved one is in such a situation, you should look to find a facility that can accommodate it.

Moreover, the taste and quality of food that is served is also significant and should be taken into account. You don’t want your loved one to be in a situation where they typically dread mealtimes. Not only can this be an unpleasant way to live, but in the worst-case scenario, your loved one might reduce the amount that they eat or refuse to eat at all. To avoid something like this happening, see if you can find reviews on the food at the various facilities you are considering, and, if possible, find out if your loved one can either sample or see a typical meal.

Some assisted living facilities provide kitchenettes in the residents’ rooms. Generally speaking, this is the case at facilities that offer a higher level of independence for their residents. If your loved one is in a situation where they can still more or less look after themselves and just need a lower level of assistance throughout the day, then theoretically they can continue to eat in the manner they are already accustomed to. Nutrition is going to play a vital role in the day-to-day life of your loved one, so do your best to ensure that they will get the quality and quantity of food that they both need and deserve.

Location

The final major point that you will need to keep in mind is the location of the facility that you choose. You will surely want to be able to see your loved one on a regular basis, so make sure that they are set to live in a place that is close enough to you and other friends and family for frequent visits. Such visits are so important to many who are in assisted living facilities. The closer you can be to them, the better the situation will be for everyone involved.

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