As your loved one ages, you may find they need more assistance than you can provide. You may be considering an assisted living facility for their care, which can provide supportive care to give them as independent a life as possible. There are approximately 2.2 million people living in long-term care settings within the United States. While living in assisted living and care facilities is somewhat common, that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to determine which community is right for your loved one or for yourself.
To help you know how to choose an assisted living facility, here is more information on the kinds of assisted living facilities, what they do, and how to evaluate assisted living facilities to ensure they offer the support you or your loved one need.
The types of assisted living facilities
There are four main kinds of senior care facilities. These include:
- Board and care homes: Also known as adult family homes and group homes, these facilities are normal residences that have been renovated for senior care needs.
- Continuing care retirement communities: Continuing care retirement communities are also known as life plan communities. They provide comprehensive support throughout each stage of retirement and offer varied levels of care.
- Assisted living communities: Assisted living communities support seniors who want to live independently while providing help with their daily needs.
- Nursing homes: Nursing homes provide care to seniors who need either short- or long-term care. They typically provide custodial care, meaning seniors live within the facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Nurses and staff provide help with activities of daily living. In skilled nursing facilities, other services are provided, such as occupational therapy.
How to find an assisted living facility
As you research different assisted living facilities, refer to this checklist of steps so you don’t miss any important questions or concerns.
Here is an overview of what you should consider as you look for an assisted living facility.
- All the different care options. There are assisted living facilities, board and care homes, continuing care retirement communities, and nursing homes to consider. Get to know what each kind of facility provides to get a basic understanding of the options.
- Your or your loved one’s needs. How much and what kind of care is needed? As you look at the care options above, think about how your or your loved ones health and care needs may change over time and how that could impact where you choose to live.
- Consider your or your loved one’s personal preferences for amenities, group activities, and location. Some people prefer care homes, for example, because they are more like normal houses, while others might like assisted living communities better since they’re near larger groups of residents.
- Your budget. Budget limitations will influence the facility you choose.
After you go through this assisted living facility checklist, here are important steps for choosing an assisted living facility:
- Research. Looking into facilities that match your budget, preferences, and needs only.
- Go on tours. Don’t choose a care facility without seeing it in person.
- Talk to the staff. You need an insider’s opinion on what a normal day is like at the facility, and you’ll want to get a vibe on how the staff interacts with those in its care.
- Learn more about safety. Look at the facility’s safety ratings and what the facility does to support a safe environment for all.
- Get more information on the cost. Most facilities have a range of costs based on the services and exact rooms or apartments chosen.
- Ask about specialized care and equipment. Find out if occupational therapy, physical therapy, or other services can be performed on-site.
- Get information on transportation. How do seniors get around? Do they have options for transportation to hospital appointments, the town, or other areas when needed?
- Ask about emergency protocols. When something goes wrong, what does the facility do to help?
By going through this checklist, you will be able to ask the right questions and get answers to help you select new living arrangements.
Top resources for finding an assisted living facility and support as a caregiver
- List of resources for caregivers
- The National Institute on Aging: Long-Term Care Facilities: Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, and Other Residential Care
- Eldercare Locator: Assisted Living
It can be difficult to enter into an assisted living arrangement, and selecting the right community or residence can feel overwhelming. But, while finding an assisted living facility will take some time and research, it is an important step toward making sure you or your loved one have the ongoing care and support you need to live out your senior years well.
