For most adults in this generation, we are entering a phase of life where terms like assisted living or residential care are becoming commonly used around us. The reason for this is that the majority of people are starting to consider these terms for their parents or loved ones, as they’ve gotten to that stage of life we all face. So what does the ‘term assisted’ living mean and why are people considering it? Well, here’s what you need to know about assisted living.
What is Assisted Living?
Assisted living, also known as residential care or adult congregate care, is a new type of housing option designed for seniors or people who need various levels of personal and medical care. It is important to note that assisted living facilities are not nursing home; they are rather distinctly different, with the goal of promoting the resident’s independence. Assisted living communities provide home-like living spaces that can be apartments, individual rooms or shared spaces, with the goal of long-term care in mind.
Services provided by Assisted Living communities
The services offered by assisted living communities often differ from facility to facility, however, the services generally offered are the basic services required from any such home, and individualized care services, that cater to the specific needs of specific residents. Examples of services provided by assisted living communities include:
- Personal care, like bathing.
- Medication management.
- Dining services.
- House maintenance.
- 24-hours emergency care.
- Recreational activities.
What you should look for in an Assisted Living Community
In picking out an assisted living community, there are certain criteria you need to create, and that the chosen community needs to meet. Firstly, in creating the criteria, you need to speak with your family and the loved one, who would become a future resident of the assisted living community, about factors that would be necessary for them and the family to be comfortable. The next step will be to determine the location you want the facility to be in. If you stay in California for instance, assisted living Hollywood CA might be the best choice. With that out of the way, ensuring the assisted living community meets those factors is important and done by conducting research and physical visitation. When conducting said research, here are the key factors to look at.
- If the residence has been properly licensed.
- The visitation policy of the community.
- Their response to medical emergencies.
- The services they provide.
- Their billing, payment and credit policies.
- The terms of their contract agreements (if any), and how they may be terminated.
- If there are various levels of cost or categories of services.
- Details on their staff, especially their level of training.
- Their policy on medications, particularly on the storage, administration and overall assistance with medication.
- If there’s provision of 24-hours assistance.
- If the community has a visiting doctor or nurse, or a resident doctor.
- Details on the living spaces available.
- Details on the social culture of the community.
- What recreational activities are provided?
Final thoughts
The aforementioned factors are the main details to note on assisted living, especially when it comes to choosing one for your loved one. The key factors given are what should be considered when searching for an assisted living community; however, there are a lot more factors you should look at, particularly those that may affect your loved one directly.