Advice for Families Considering Assisted Living

Start talking to your senior about assisted living before they need it.

In the process of choosing an assisted living home, it's beneficial for everyone to plan ahead, well in advance of making a move. Often our residents say that they didn't think they were ready for assisted living, but once they move in, they are extremely happy they did so.
Decide what's important for your family.

Each family is different and must identify what factors are most important in determining which home is best for all concerned. Consider the home's proximity to town, its size, and how convenient it is to your family, friends, doctor, hospital, and church.
Go together for visits and discuss everything.

Plan your visits when everyone can participate in viewing the potential assisted living homes. This will give you the opportunity to evaluate the culture of each home and how the prospective resident would fit into the community.
Visit several places.

Each home you visit will be different from the last. Making a smart decision requires an understanding of the staffing, services and amenities offered at all of the facilities. The task then is matching a home to the needs of your senior family member.
Don't wait until there is an emergency. Discuss moving into assisted living when there is plenty of time to enjoy life without the worries of living alone.

Often residents don't think about their assisted living plan in advance. After a medical emergency, a person may not be an appropriate candidate for assisted living. Having the services and amenities of an assisted living residence sooner could help to prevent injury and maintain ones independence longer. Our advice is to plan well ahead of time, don't wait!