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The Mistakes to Avoid In Your Assisted Living Search

When you are looking for a new housing option for your elderly loved one, you can find an assortment of assisted living homes. However, an assisted living search is a complicated process because there are many different types to choose from in each geographic area. Here are some of the mistakes that you can make while searching for a nursing home for you or a loved one.

Assisted Living Search Mistake 1: Failing to Talk to the Senior Loved One

If you are seeking a place for a relative, then you must talk to the person about the type of place that he wants to live in. Despite having multiple mental or physical health issues, a senior citizen should have some choices concerning where he will live. In addition to talking to the senior loved one, the person should have an opportunity to visit the different assisted living environments.

Mistake 2: Forgetting to Communicate with a Primary Physician

It is essential to communicate with a primary physician before selecting an assisted living community. A physician may have recommendations about the best places for a patient to live, and in some cases, a physician is able to provide additional care for a patient in a particular nursing home.

Mistake 3: Choosing a Place That Is the Wrong Size

There are small assisted living communities that are localized to one building, but there are also huge communities with multiple buildings that are similar to a neighborhood. Depending on a senior’s personality, living in a small place may feel suitable, but some older individuals want to live in larger place with numerous other older patients.

Mistake 4: Thinking about the Cost of the Home

During an assisted living search, you must consider the cost of the home. Collect the financial information that can include a pension plan from a job or the government funds that are offered throughout retirement. You should meet with the management of the nursing homes to understand the total monthly cost of living in the place.

Mistake 5: Considering Mobility Issues

If a senior has serious mobility issues, then it is a good idea to select a nursing home that can cope with this problem. You would need wider doors and lower countertops if you are using a wheelchair all of the time. In addition, a senior would need to have access to the exterior of the home with wheelchair ramps and elevators.

Mistake 6: The Assisted Living Home’s Location

When a senior wants to live near relatives, it is vital to search for a place that is in a certain area of a city. An elderly person may want to continue visiting the same medical facilities or religious institution, and this can become impossible if the senior moves too far from an original neighborhood.

Mistake 7: Not Thinking about the Future

It is a good idea to think about the future when you are selecting an assisted living community. Today, you might only have a physical limitation while you recover from a broken hip, but in a few years, you might need therapy for arthritis, or alternatively, you might develop a dementia condition, such as Alzheimer’s disease. If you select a full-service nursing home, then you can continue to live in the same place.

Mistake 8: Choosing a Place Too Quickly

Make sure that you take the time to visit several nursing homes or assisted living communities before making a decision. Take notes during the process, and also, return to the homes several times before making a decision. Walk through the entire community to see each of its amenities, making sure to visit at various times of the day and the evening.

Mistake 9: Read the Different Contracts Carefully

Before moving into an assisted living community, you will need to sign a contract. These contracts are complicated with tiny print and legal wording. Take your time to read the contracts multiple times, and if you don’t understand something, then talk to an attorney who can help you to understand what the documents mean.

Mistake 10: Checking the Health Care Staffing

If you or a loved one is moving into an assisted living home, then you will want to learn more about the health care staffing in the community. The home should have certified nursing assistants, registered nurses and other health care workers who offer treatments or therapies.

Contact Us Today

We recommend starting your assisted living search at Laurel Parc because we offer different types of senior care, including assisted living, memory care and independent living. This makes it easier for you or a loved one to transition from one type of assisted living environment to another in only a few days. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule a tour of our assisted living community.

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