Top Features to Look for in an Assisted Living Facility
When choosing an assisted living facility for your parent, knowing what to look for is essential. This will help ensure your loved one is happy with their new home.
Assisted living facilities offer a range of services. These include 24-hour supervision, meals, personal care assistance, rehabilitation services, and social and recreational activities.
Safety and Security
Safety and security are two top factors when looking for a new assisted living facility, such as assisted living facility Missouri. You should visit several assisted living facilities and ask about their safety features and protocols.
In addition to the physical safety features in a community, it is essential to understand the staff and management attitude. This can help you decide if the community is a good fit for your loved one and family.
Personal Care
Personal care services can be a life-changing option for seniors who need assistance with daily activities. These services often enable seniors to stay home rather than transfer to an assisted living or nursing home.
Depending on the type of personal care your loved one needs, this can include medication management, bathing and dressing assistance, and nursing oversight.
A good facility should provide these services on-site. Similarly, it should be able to provide transportation to medical appointments and grocery stores.
Meals
Whether residents prefer to dine in a restaurant-style setting or choose to have their meals delivered to their room, meals should be enjoyable and healthy. They should also offer various options for residents with special dietary needs.
Seniors housing communities are following a growing trend towards healthier diets and more plant-based foods. Using ingredients like fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs instead of meat can cut food costs, and the taste is usually better too.
Dining services are a crucial selling point for assisted living facilities and should be high on your list of features to look for in an assisted living community. Examining the food menu, dietary restrictions, and dining hours is essential.
Socialization
The top features to look for in an assisted living facility include safety, socialization, and the ability to engage with other residents. The National Center for Assisted Living recommends touring the facilities to see how staff interact with residents and discuss your loved one’s care needs.
Socialization is how people learn about and adopt certain norms, values, beliefs, and behaviors from family members, teachers, peers, and religion (Ochs, 1999). The three primary goals of socialization are teaching impulse control, preparing individuals for specific social roles, and cultivating shared sources of meaning and value.
Transportation
Assisted living facilities often offer transportation as part of their amenities. Some facilities provide vans to take residents shopping, medical appointments, and social outings.
Other facilities partner with local transportation services to get residents where they need to go.
Whether you need to go out of town for a holiday or to a friend’s home, having access to transportation is essential for seniors who can no longer drive. Ask what types of vehicles are included in a facility’s standard package and what restrictions apply to transporting to medical, therapy, or religious services.
Activities
When choosing an assisted living facility, you want a well-rounded activities program that appeals to residents’ interests and abilities. It should enhance each resident’s physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being.
Keeping active is essential for fending off diseases such as dementia, diabetes, and heart disease. It also helps keep seniors mentally sharp by engaging the brain.
Assisted living communities often have lectures on various topics, such as travel, health, personal stories, and political candidates. They may even invite local artists to perform in the community.
