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When you are charged with finding an assisted living community for aging parents or grandparents, one of the first challenges may be finding a place that both partners agree on and feel comfortable moving into. To ensure that Mom and Dad or Grandma and Grandpa have the best assisted living experience possible, find a community in which:
Couples are welcome to reside together. When visiting an assisted living community you are considering for your loved ones, look for signs that couples are able to live together comfortably. A spacious apartment home is the best possible accommodation, because it allows couples to either share a bedroom, or sleep in separate bedrooms if preferred, while sharing the rest of the living quarters (the living room, kitchenette, dining area and restroom). This is a very important feature for couples who are accustomed to sharing a life together.
The community resembles a home environment. What’s the difference between an assisted living “facility” and an upscale retirement community with assisted living services? It’s the degree to which the campus resembles a home environment. Seniors deserve an assisted living environment that is as much like home as possible and offers easy acclimation.
Assisted living campuses that resemble medical facilities are not nearly as warm and welcoming as those that are true assisted living communities. An assisted living community, on the other hand, is a place where aging individuals and couples can live together comfortably among their peers. When searching for a new home for your parents or grandparents, these are the types of communities to be on the lookout for.
There is a quality meal program. Aging parents who need assisted living are also in need of high quality meals. They don’t need what is typically thought of as “nursing home food.” Instead, they need three locally sourced, chef-prepared meals a day that are nutritious without sacrificing on flavor and portions. Diabetic seniors are especially in need of this type of program, so please keep that in mind when searching for an assisted living community for your diabetic loved ones. Don’t allow others to convince you that high quality assisted living meals don’t exist. There are assisted living communities that offer this type of meal program, and they typically include it in the resident package so there are no additional costs.
There are customized wellness services available. Most assisted living communities do not offer unlimited medical care; however, it is reasonable to expect them to offer wellness services for your aging loved ones. Look for a full time nursing and/or caregiving staff, and ask if medical providers are approved to come into the community to provide checkups. Another bonus is a medicine concierge service, which is designed to help assisted living residents with their medication dosages. With a service like this, spouses can focus on living together comfortably, rather than worrying about reminding each other to take medications.
There are memory care services available. If your loved ones are living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, ask if the assisted living community offers memory care services. Memory care services should include daily, stimulating activities throughout the campus; spouses can participate together or on their own, depending on the caregiving plan you arrange with the staff.
These are the features adult children and grandchildren should seek out when finding an assisted living community for aging parents or grandparents. One location that we visited by Oakmont senior living offered assisted living community in Fresno a and also memory care in Fresno that passed all of these tests with flying colors. Of course, part of the community is also the caregiving plan; when visiting potential assisted living communities, be sure to ask about a customized caregiving plan that addresses the specific needs of your loved ones. The culmination of these features can amount to a wonderful assisted living experience for them.
