There are many factors that you need to consider before deriving a decision on the most ideal retirement community for an older loved one. It can be a difficult process as choosing the right path for your older loved one’s future often comes with many concerns and questions. If you are looking to relocate your older loved one into a retirement community due to mobility issues or health concerns, here is the list of questions to ask at assisted living to help you make a well-informed decision.
What Is Assisted Living?
The core service of an assisted living community is to provide residents with specialized care within a community and residential development. Older adults with personal and medical needs may require additional care and support. Assisted living communities are designed with the well-being of residents in mind along with senior living activities to encourage healthy living and social engagement.
Common care services in an assisted living community may include the following:
- Housekeeping
- Medication management
- Transportation services
- Daily meals
- Bathing/toileting assistance
- Laundry
- Dressing and grooming
Assisted living communities offer senior living programs that are designed to support the overall well-being of residents to promote a much more enriching lifestyle. Residents may be given a custom care plan to address their personal needs to ensure they receive specialized care that addresses all their requirements.
Questions to Ask at an Assisted Living Community
- Does your community welcome a new resident?
Residents may need time to adapt to a new environment. Find out how the team makes new residents feel at home.
- What kind of training does your team go through?
Inquire if all team members are licensed, registered, and experienced.
- How many residents does your community have?
Ask about the team to resident ratio. The smaller the ratio means residents will receive immediate support and personalized care.
- Do you have 24/7 on-site support?
Residents with medical needs and mobility restrictions need to know that they have access to 24/7 support.
- What kind of meal services do you offer?
Residents need to have access to delicious, nutritious daily meals three times a day to ensure they can fulfill their nutritional needs.
- What type of activities do you plan for residents?
There needs to be a daily lineup of community events carefully curated for residents to support their mental and physical well-being.
- Do residents have any voice in the type of services they need?
A flourishing assisted living community takes into account the residents’ voices regarding their care plans, daily activities, meal prep, and more.
- Does family play any role?
You want a retirement community that encourages family interaction, allows visits, plans volunteer programs, and social event participation.
- How do you monitor resident happiness?
Resident satisfaction is a great indicator of a successful assisted living community. Many retirement communities offer surveys in small groups to get resident feedback.
- How do you foster a sense of community?
Ask about the type of relationship between residents and team members, the type of personalized engagement residents can expect, and how they get to know one another.
