Are you and your parent looking for an assisted living facility for them to move to? Here are a few things to think while making a final decision:
Visitor Accommodations
It's a good idea to think about how many visitors your parent will likely have at their new assisted living residence and who those visitors are. If grandchildren will be visiting on a regular basis, a safe outdoor area to spend time together should be available on-site. A barbecue station, swimming pool area, or indoor community space would accommodate friends and older family members so they don't have to spend all of their time sitting in the confines of your parent's personal space.
Make a list of all the people you expect to visit your parent in the coming years and talk with your parent about what kinds of accommodations they'd like to enjoy while visiting with their guests. Then make a list of those accommodations and use the list to compare accommodation options at any assisted living facility your parent considers moving to.
On-Site Service Options
It's also important to think about the services your parent will need access to on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. If your parent doesn't drive, transportation to the grocery store and pharmacy will be needed. If your parent needs to be monitored closely due to a health condition, a nurse practitioner should work full-time on-site. Laundry, cleaning, and meal-planning services should also be available.
In addition, your parent will need to maintain a social life in order to enjoy a high quality of living. So the facility they move to should offer service options such as the following:
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A community dining hall
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Regular social events such as bingo and movie night
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Exercise and stretching classes
Ask the facilities you and your parent are considering for a list of service options that are available so you can compare the lists side-by-side when making a final decision about where your parent will ultimately live.
End-of-Life Preparations
If your parent plans to live at the assisted living facility you choose together for the rest of their life, it's a good idea to find out whether the facilities you're looking at offer end-of-life preparation services. Your parent should have access to things like therapy sessions, spiritual advisers, and even asset management guidance. Sit down with your parent and discuss the end-of-life preparations they would like to focus on so you can make sure that their new residence can accommodate her wishes and needs, both mentally and physically.
In the words of the Beatles "we get by with a little help from our friends." When your friend is an older adult, you cannot always provide that help yourself. They might need skilled nursing care or around-the-clock supervision that you're just not equipped to offer. That's where nursing homes and assisted living facilities can come in handy. These businesses make sure your loved one gets the help they need, provided by experienced and kind employees. You can learn more about assisted living and nursing facilities in the articles offered here. We think that after you read and explore, you'll be more confident that this is the help your friend needs.