Walker Methodist | Jun 27, 2019
When it’s time to move a loved one to an assisted living community, the choices can be overwhelming. It can be all too easy to act in haste, which means moving your loved one into an assisted living community can be fraught with mistakes. Here are a few of the most common mistakes that occur when searching for an assisted living community.
Deciding Too Quickly
With more than 28,000 assisted living facilities in the U.S., even in a small geographic area, you likely have more than a few options. Ideally, you would have started researching communities a year or two earlier, but thanks to the internet, you have more tools than ever to narrow down your options. Don’t rush to make a decision, even if your loved one needs to move as soon as possible. Even an extra few days can make a big difference in ensuring you aren’t making a mistake. Tour as many communities as possible and base your decision on facts, not feelings.
Following Your Own Preferences
You probably know exactly what you’d want in an assisted living community, but that is not necessarily what your loved one wants. If possible, your loved one should join you on tours and be a part of the decision. Either way, you should sit down and fully discuss the situation with your loved one, getting as much information as possible about preferences like amenities and services, food selection, and level of care.
Not Visiting in Person
Every senior living community puts its best foot forward on its website. Even if you see images or watch a video tour, nothing compares to visiting the community in person. Tour every community you can with a checklist in hand of the things your loved one wants in a new home. As you’re touring, you can then begin to compare each community against the others based on multiple criteria.
Choosing the Closest Facility
Having your loved one in a community down the street from where you live or work is likely convenient, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. Sure, you’ll be able to visit more often, but an extra ten-mile drive will be well worth it if your loved one has better amenities or top-notch care. Make sure you’re searching as wide a geographic area as possible and make your own convenience the least important of all criteria.
Thinking Short Term
Your loved one’s condition today likely won’t remain the same in the coming years. As tough it can be, you should consider that as you’re choosing a community. Some assisted living communities can adjust to meet your loved one’s needs, offering services like memory care, rehabilitation, and full medical care. Make sure you won’t be looking at a second move a few years down the road.
Making the move to assisted living means making some big decisions. If you take your time and gather as much information as possible, you’ll find you have the data necessary to choose the best assisted living community to meet all your loved one’s needs.