Elderly Parents Assisted Living Facilities - 10 Basics to Know
It’s not an easy transition when considering moving an elderly parent from his or her home, or yours, to an assisted living facility, but caregivers must always remember that the health, safety and care of seniors should be a primary concern.
Nevertheless, the approach to finding an ideal location for Mom or Dad may seem overwhelming to many who don’t know where to start looking, or how to determine an excellent facility from a fair or poor one.
However, understanding some of the basics, knowing ahead of time what specific needs or help your parent might need, as well as a basic understanding of what most assisted living facilities or elder care centers offer is the first step toward finding a comfortable, safe and happy living environment for your elderly parents.
An assisted living facility is designed to offer minimal assistance to residents within a small community of seniors or elderly parents. Such facilities are also often called Community Based Residential facilities or Board and Care facilities. Such places may or may not offer 24-hour staffing, and some are state approved while others are not.
In many such facilities, between 1-3 meals are served to residents each day, and some structured and planned activities may also be available. Funding for such facilities is often private, though private insurance may take care of a portion of the costs, and Medicaid waivers may be available in some states.
Basically, these facilities are geared toward individuals who are medically stable and who are able to take care of most daily needs and medication regimens on their own.
In most states, assisted living facilities offer:
After you have determined the type and extent of care needed by a parent, it’s time to ask some tough questions about services and quality of care. Don’t be embarrassed to ask such questions, as they are important to the long-term safety and comfort of your loved one. Staff at such facilities expect such queries and won’t be offended if your questions and requests are direct and to the point. For example, here are 10 things that you should ask before deciding on an assisted living facility for your elderly parents:
Can Medicare or Medicaid Help?
While the above questions are good to know the answers to, there is more involved in find an excellent facility that will suit the needs of your parent. For example, is shopping located close by? Is the facility in a safe neighborhood? Will the future needs of your parent be met there?
To help you find additional information about assisted living facilities, check out the resources listed below. Remember, don’t assume. Don’t leave things to chance. Your parent’s care and safety is at stake.
Assisted Living Source
Assisted Living Federation of America
Consumer Consortium on Assisted Living
National Center for Assisted Living
Elderly Parents Housing Discussion
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Dec 28, 20 12:23 PM
My mother is 93, in good health, no major heath issues, totally ambulatory. When my father died 6 years ago we found her a beautiful independent senior
Dec 28, 20 12:21 PM
So I lost my mom 18 months ago. After her passing I would come to my parents house to clean and cook a couple of times a week for my dad. He still gets
Dec 28, 20 12:18 PM
I came back home in 2004 to help my dad as he had cancer, he eventually passed away few years later. Well here I am am in 2020 still at home taking care