Making a choice to move yourself or a loved one into a senior care facility is not an easy process. Whether making this decision for yourself or for someone you love, the most important part is finding the right retirement center. To make this process a little easier for you and your family, here’s a look at four things you should look for when choosing the right senior care center.
Clean Environment
Before selecting any retirement facility, make sure that you schedule a tour of the center. Of course, you want to make sure the décor, atmosphere, and culture are a match for you or your loved one, but you also want to make sure the facility is clean. Pay close attention to the flooring, restrooms, residential rooms, lobbies, and dining areas. Everything should be clean and clutter-free. You want to find a senior care center that takes pride in its facility and maintains a safe and clean environment.
Adequate Staffing
When considering any senior care center, be sure to ask specifically about staff ratios, including the resident to CNA ratio and the resident to nursing staff ratio. The better these ratios are the more direct care services you, or your loved one, are likely to receive. High resident to CNA or nurse ratio, may mean that the staff is significantly overworked and you, or your loved one, may not receive the quality care you deserve. You also want to ask about other staff members. For example, according to Emroch & Kilduff, a registered dietician should be among the staff.
Services Offered
It’s important to understand that not all senior care facilities are the same, and they don’t offer the same services. You must make sure that any retirement community you are considering offers the exact type of services you or your loved one needs. For example, a facility that strictly offers assisted care living may only provide assistance with daily living activities, such as bathing, eating, and medication management. If you or your loved one require 24/7 medical care, this type of center may not be the right one. According to A Place for Mom, if you want to find a facility where you can remain throughout your life, you may want to consider finding a continuing-care retirement community. These types of facilities provide care for all stages of the senior’s life. As your or your loved ones’ needs increase, the level of services offered increases, but you can remain in the same facility that you know and like.
Daily Activities
According to Winchester Gardens, regular exercise, a balanced diet, and frequent social engagement can improve seniors’ health and reduce the risk of depression. This fact is why it’s so important to make sure you choose a senior facility that offers daily activities, such as games, fitness classes, arts and crafts, outings, and entertainment. Be sure that the retirement community you’re considering has an activities director on staff. Also, ask to see the current month’s activities calendar. This calendar will give you a good idea of how many activities they offer their residents on a regular basis.
You may be able to use the internet to narrow down your choice of senior care facilities in your area. Once you have done this, be sure to tour several facilities so that you can get a better idea of which center would be right for you or your loved one. Finding the right retirement center can give you or them a new place to call home.
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