Is Your Assisted Living Facility Search Going The Wrong Direction?
For many families, a long term assisted living facility is the right decision for an older loved one. If you are planning to help your senior parent move into a facility, you want to avoid the mistakes that others make while searching. Here are a few of the most commonly made.
Failing to Know Your Parent's Needs
One of the mistakes some people make is thinking about their needs instead of their parents' needs. However, what they need might not be what their parents need. For instance, whereas you might want access to a fitness room, your parent might not care about working out daily. He or she might be more interested in being close to shopping centers.
Instead of thinking about what would make you comfortable in an assisted living facility, focus on what your parent needs. A great source you have for determining your parent's needs is your parent. Talk to him or her. No matter what the need is, remember, he or she will be living in the facility and not you.
Making the Decision on Your Own
The most important person who should be involved in selecting a long term assisted living facility is your parent. However, there are other people who can provide invaluable input to help you and your parent make the right decision.
For instance, his or her doctor can help determine if there are any special health concerns that need to be considered. Family members can suggest amenities that will make the move easier. Asking for help now can help you avoid making a costly decision if your parent wants to move to a different facility later because the chosen one is not right.
Choosing a Facility Based on Distance
You and your family likely want to keep your parent nearby, but you should not let distance make the difference between finding a quality long term assisted living facility and an average one. By expanding your search a few miles, you can likely find a facility that meets all your parent's needs.
This does not mean you should be considering facilities on the other side of the country. You should be able to find a quality facility within or near your city.
You and your parent will likely visit several long term assisted living facilities during your search. Compare notes with your parent as you visit and avoid these mistakes and you should find one that works for him or her.
