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Deciding when and where to move is always a hard choice to make. Now imagine helping your parent decide which type of facility is right for them. The information on senior assisted living can leave you overwhelmed. But if you ask the right questions you will find the appropriate facility that will meet the needs and offer assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) for your loved one. The main focus of this type of housing is to help seniors remain active while maintaining independence as long as possible in a safe, homelike environment.

Most people still think of assisted living as primarily a nursing/rest home where all independence is lost. However, assisted living facilities and assisted living housing offers assistance as needed allowing the senior to come and go as they please making their own decisions. Throughout the day the staff will check on the senior to make sure they are comfortable and have taken their medication.

So how do you choose the right facility? According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) you should check out several facilities ensuring that your loved one's assisted living needs are met.

Tour the facility.
Contact the facility's coordinator to set up an appointment. The BBB suggests that during the tour talk with the staff and residents. Find out the staff to patient ratio. Make sure other residents are comfortable, clean, and well groomed. The hallways and stairwells should be well lit with handrails. Ask if they are state licensed and to see the current evaluation to make sure the facility has kept up with the state guidelines concerning personal care.

Inquire about the cost.
Whether you are paying out of the pocket or using Medicaid/Medicare for assisted living homes you want to know the monthly cost and what exactly is covered in those fees. Find out if they offer extra services, such as laundry or have a beauty shop, for an added fee. Verifying the type of payment and whether or not the will accept Medicaid/Medicare will help prepare you in case you have to find another facility in the future.

Ask about the accommodations.
Some facilities are apartment-like housing while others are bedrooms within the same housing unit. Inquire if private rooms are available or if they are double occupancy rooms. Some offer private bathrooms and kitchen facilities. Make sure there is enough space for their belongings by checking the closet and the room. You want to make sure they feel at home with their own items around them.

Continual Care Services
It is important to consider that your loved one may become ill or need further types of assistance in the future. These types of services include rehabilitation, short-term and long-term care. If the facility you choose does not provide these services you may have to find another facility.

These suggestions will not only help find the right assisted living homes, but also give you a peace of mind during this tough transition in life. Learning the different types of housing assistance helps everyone involved by providing stability in the senior's life as they age in a familiar environment.

Depending on your area the terms vary: assisted living facilities; assisted living housing; retirement communities; residential care; and adult homes.

www.bbb.org/Alerts/article.asp ?ID=246
www.helpguide.org/elder /continuing_care_retirement_co mmunities.htm

Learn more about this author, Tarra Davis.
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