Choosing a senior living facility for your loved ones is a big decision in your life. It can be filled with a lot of emotions too. You obviously wish that you can take care of your loved ones all by yourself. Unfortunately, there are circumstances in your life which prevent you from doing so. You may have children and a job to take care of. Therefore, you can’t give your best attention to all these responsibilities at the same time. You may have senior loved ones you can’t give proper attention to. In such a scenario, it’s better that you let expert senior care workers take care of your senior loved ones.
The good news is that when you end up choosing the best senior living services, you can be sure that your loved ones will get the best care possible. If you’re from around Rochester, there are so many such service providers to choose from. You only have to filter your options based on your preferences and a specific set of factors that guarantee quality.
That said, here are some tips for you to follow to get the best senior living service for your beloved seniors.
The Service’s Mission And Purpose
Before you tour a senior care living service for your loved one, you must go through its website. As you go through any of the websites, click through and read each of the senior living services’ missions and purposes.
This statement gives you a bird’s eye view as to how one senior living service company compares with another. By reading the mission and purpose statement, you gain valuable insights into how each of those particular senior care living services aims to provide excellent care to the seniors.
Right there and then, you may be able to filter out many options. You should remove those that don’t have a convincing mission and purpose.
The Location
Another obvious consideration that you must keep in mind is the location of the senior living care service. Yes, you’re choosing from within Rochester. But even that is a vast location.
In general, when it comes to location, the deciding factor should always be the distance from your home or workplace. Selecting a facility that is close by makes it easier for you to visit your loved ones whenever you want. Importantly, should there be an emergency, it won’t take long for you to arrive at the place.
The First Impression You Or Your Loved One Has Of The Service
This applies to selecting an assisted care facility and a home senior living provider. When you walk into a facility or the senior living provider’s office, be mindful of the first impression you have and feel you get about the place. You must also consider your senior loved one’s impression. In fact, your senior loved one’s opinion should matter the most.
Here, it’s not about prejudging the place or the facility. But, if you generally feel that there’s something off about the place, you’ll most likely be correct. Trust your instincts on this one. Any red flags should make you remove the facility from your shortlist.
The Size Of The Facility
As you go around viewing each option, be mindful about the size of the facility. The key here is to choose one that appeals the most to the persons who’ll be living there. Remember that this is a bigger adjustment for them than it’s for you. So, above all else, you must factor in their level of comfort.
When it comes to the size of the facility, the key is to go for the size that your senior loved one will be comfortable with. Some facilities can be as small, with only five to ten beds. Others may be able to accommodate 500 beds. While looking through the different size options, consider the patient to healthcare ratio also. If your loved one needs more assistance, you should choose a facility that has about a 1:1 ratio for patient to healthcare.
The Accessibility
The accessibility of the senior care facility has a lot to do with the location. Apart from being close to where you live, the care facility should also have easy access to some of the basic needs and entertainment avenues. That way, your loved ones don’t have to feel too restricted about the activities that they can do.
Some of the places that you’ll want to have nearby include:
- Supermarket
- Department store
- Bank
- Post office
- Park
- Coffee shops
- Entertainment centers such as a cinema
The availability of these places near the residence of your senior loved one will help him/her to be in touch with the real world and help fulfil the socialization needs. Just because they now need living services, it doesn’t mean that they have to be detached from the world.
The Services Offered
One of the most critical considerations in choosing a facility is the types of services offered by the senior living facility or provider. Every senior citizen has a different set of needs, typically related to the aging process. Physical, emotional, and other factors make the needs different for each person. So, before you even start touring through each of the options, it pays to have a predetermined list of the factors that you’re after. You should identify the facilities that are absolutely necessary and the ones that are good to have.
The key here is in matching the services offered with the needs of your loved ones. That way, you know for sure that their day-to-day needs will be met in your absence, even if they are differently abled.
Conclusion
With these tips, you’re better equipped to select the best senior living service for your loved ones in Rochester. Mission and purpose, location, size, and accessibility of the facility should be of vital importance. Don’t ignore your gut feeling when you tour any facility and also make sure that the facility has the service that your senior loved one requires. Remember that while there are many senior living services in Rochester, not all offer the same services. Choose the right one carefully so that your senior loved ones receive the best possible attention and care.
