[Image Source: Unsplash]
Nursing Home or Assisted Living Community? Here Are 6 Tips to Help You Choose
Submitted by
Annabel Harris
October 7, 2021-10-07
Choosing an assisted living or nursing home community for yourself or a family member can be one of the most difficult decisions anyone has to make. However, the fact that you or your loved one must make this transition means there is a true need for specialized care. The following considerations should help you choose the best care home for your circumstances.
Specialty Care Available
The first aspect you need to check when looking for an assisted living community or a nursing home is the available specialty care. Do they have an Alzheimer’s or memory care unit? Can you or your loved one prepare the meals or require help with this aspect? You need to consider all those factors when looking for a care home, so you or your loved one will be adequately taken care of.
Proximity
A community’s location is essential because it can impact how often a resident will see their family and friends. Take note of how convenient the location is, as well as visiting hours. Frequent visits will enhance the patient’s mental and emotional well-being and will also ensure that care quality issues can be handled as problems occur.
Mental and Emotional Well-Being of Patients
Another critical factor to consider is the activities a community offers its residents. A good program should include regularly scheduled events, such as a musical event, religious services, a weekly movie night, physical exercise activities, and so on. Also, look for a library and a small store that allows residents to purchase personal items and snacks. Tour the community and observe whether there is a safe place for residents to enjoy outdoor areas and natural elements like plants and pets.
Physical Consideration
Besides the mental and emotional aspects of this transition, you should also note the physical components of the place. Is the facility clean, welcoming, well lit, and safe? What treatment units are available on the property? For example, ask about ways of helping with activities of daily living, and see how they are handled when a person needs assistance.
Adequate Staffing
Enough staffing is imperative for your or your loved one’s health. There should be numerous professionals on the care home staff or frequently working in the community, including registered nurses, physicians, aides, counselors, and so on.
Costs
The final aspect to consider is the price. Before deciding on a nursing home or assisted living community, determine how you will cover its costs. Do you or your family member have the necessary financial resources, or do you need to connect with Medicaid? If your retirement assets are limited, a common choice to free up funds is to sell the family home, which if paid off can potentially cover living expenses as long as necessary. To figure out how much you can get from a home sale, analyze comparable homes in the area – this will give you an idea as to whether you can afford long-term care living.
The Bottom Line
There is no one technique you should use to choose an assisted living facility or a nursing home, which is why you should adopt a combination of these methods before deciding on the ideal place for you to enjoy this next chapter in your life.
