subject: Factors To Consider In Choosing A Retirement Community For Your Parents [print this page] Often the challenge of choosing the perfect retirement community your parents could move in to may be rather difficult. As if making the ultimate choice of having to move your parents to a retirement facility
isnt awful enough! Thankfully, there are a variety of resources that will help your folks and the whole household cope with this life-changing process.
Knowing that your mom or dad (or both) get the very best care and accommodation by a qualified and dependable elderly care staff will give you peace of mind. This is a list of guidelines you can bring with
you when visiting various retirement living residential areas to find the one thats suitable for your parents:
The Atmosphere
A warm, pleasant, and cozy setting is critical in a nursing home. Make the move as easy as possible by selecting a community that, to your mother and father, will still feel like home away from home.
The perfect nursing home would be situated in a secure neighborhood and away from the city noise. When entering the facility, take notice of the surroundings, the outside appearance of the condominiums,
and the actual living quarters of the residents.
Furthermore, look at how the staff treats the residents. Are they demonstrating patience, tenderness, and friendliness when dealing with the elderlies? If you see a hint of impatience or hostility in some of the
employees, consider searching for another nursing home where you are certain your parents will be treated with utmost care and respect.
You have to pay attention to how the residents act and behave. If they appear to be engaged, at ease, and content when interacting with the staff and fellow occupants, then they must be getting the care and
attention they need.
Services and Policies
Staff should be available 24/7 to administer medical or personal care to those who need it. Check their guidelines on medications, including self-administration, storage, and record-keeping. Ask if they have
an individual plan of care for each and every resident. This is very important especially for those with special needs or dementia.
Know their emergency handling policies and if the staff who give them are skilled professionals. It is vital for a senior retirement community to have a doctor who visits the facility regularly and who would be
on-call 24/7 to take care of medical emergencies anytime they arise.
Expenses
If you think youve found a retirement community where youre positive your loved ones will feel most at home at, dont enter an agreement just yet. You need to take into account your loved ones health
condition and determine if the retirement home is able to provide for your parents needs. Different retirement homes feature different programs at different rates. Residential care facilities provide board,
lodging and help for day to day activities related to independent living. Senior assisted living facilities offer more services like private rooms, recreation, and personal care, thus charging more than what
residential care facilities do.
Ask if there are added costs that you'll be paying besides the obvious entry and monthly fees. Study the fine print of the contract for an exit clause, in case you will see the need to break from the contract
early.
Finding the best retirement communities in Florida can be a long and difficult process, but this is the life of your dad and mom we are discussing so dont rush and think about the options very carefully.
