Choosing an assisted living facility is a hard, and often emotional decision. Besides dealing with the fact that your once hale and hearty loved one is now incapable of taking care of him- or herself, you now have to pick the most suitable facility out of more than 33,000 facilities in the country.
Faced with the myriad choices available, choosing the best assisted living facility for your loved one can be daunting. However, this list of factors should help you narrow down your choices and make the decision easier. One thing to keep in mind throughout the process is to involve your loved one as much as possible. Take their preferences into account. They may want to be close to their friends or be in the neighborhood they have lived in all their lives. Talk to them and get their input on the decision.
Location
Florida may be an ideal place to retire, but it's not going to work if you're based in Vermont and you want to visit often. If you do not stay in the same area as your loved one, discuss general locations with them, and come to an agreement. Other factors to consider include whether the facility is in the middle of nowhere, or is located close to a city or town and whether it is close to a hospital.
Cost
There is a wide range of assisted living facilities, and an accompanying range of costs. The cheapest facilities, often run for not-for-profit organizations, start at $800 per month while the more expensive, for-profit ones can cost more than $4,000 a month. Keep in mind that Medicare does not cover the cost of assisted living facilities, while Medicaid provides limited funds. However, once you consider that a move into assisted living facilities is often permanent, and that you can sell the former home, the costs may not seem so daunting after all.
Needs
Does your loved one need round-the-clock assistance or simply a reminder to take their pills and eat their meals? Do they need help with bathing or just grab bars in the bathroom? Determining what your loved one's needs are will narrow down your list of choices as the types of care is different from one facility to another.
Sense of Community
Once you have narrowed your list down to a manageable number of facilities, visit each one to get a feel for the sense of community at the facility. Do the residents seem happy there? Does the facility provide bingo games and other entertainment option? Are the staff friendly, helpful and caring?
Well-being
While you're at the facility, ask to have a meal with the residents. Do you like the quality of the food, and more importantly, is it suitable for your loved one's palette? Also, is the facility furnished with safety measures like non-slip mats and grab bars in the bathroom? If your loved one likes to take walks, does the facility have a garden they can stroll in?