As our loved ones age, their care needs can change dramatically from year to year. Although you managed as a family caregiver last year, new circumstances may make it difficult to cope this year. In these cases, a long-term care option may help keep your loved one healthy and safe while offering you peace of mind and the freedom to pursue your own goals or career. When you and your aging loved one are ready to start looking for the perfect place for them to call home, keep these important criteria in mind.
Cleanliness
A senior’s immune system is especially delicate, making them more likely to get sick and more sensitive to dust and grime. If you enter a care community and find that it’s not clean, look for other options.
Friendly Employees
Your loved one will be relying upon and spending quite a bit of time with the care staff wherever they move. For this reason, it’s important to keep an eye on the caregivers during a visit to a potential care community. Are they happy? Do they treat their residents with respect? Are they open and friendly when you ask questions? Unhappy or rude staff is indicative of a place that is likely unpleasant for residents.
Active Residents
When thinking of long-term care options, there can be some misperceptions that residents who live there will be bored or under-stimulated. This is an unfortunate stereotype that simply isn’t true for most long-term care communities. Many of these communities offer clubs, activities and programming to keep residents active and engaged. When you visit a community, look around to see how engaged the residents are, and factor that into your decision.
Programming
Once you’ve seen how happy the residents are, look for the community’s programming schedule. Everyone has unique interests, and an activity schedule full of diverse programming is a good sign that the community has activities tailored for its residents. If your loved one’s activity of choice isn’t on the schedule, staff should be willing to explore ideas that your loved one would enjoy.
Comfortable Accommodations
No one actually enjoys staying in a hospital long-term, so why should your loved one like living in a care community that looks and feels like a hospital? Remember: each community is a potential new home for your loved one. Does it feel homelike? Ask residents if they are comfortable. Additionally, ask about the quality of food or sample a meal.
Help Them Find Their Way Home with A.G. Rhodes Health & Rehab
Your loved one deserves the very best care, so being selective about their long-term care community only makes sense. While the Atlanta region offers its fair share of nursing care facilities, few can compare to A.G. Rhodes Health & Rehab. We pride ourselves on our professionalism and compassion, and take resident and family satisfaction very seriously. If you’d like to learn more about our care options or want to schedule a tour, call us today at 877-918-6413.