There are thousands of retirement homes and senior living communities in the US, with different facilities and commodities, which can make your search seem endless. However, there are several ways of narrowing down your options and selecting the best retirement home for you. Consider our tips:
#1 What level of care would you need?
Retirement homes offer three levels of care: 24-hour nursing assistance for more dependent senior citizens, assisted living for more independent individuals, and independent living, ideal for seniors that can take care of their needs, and clean, cook, bath and take up their medications without any help.
#2 Check that your top choices follow regulations and are legal
When selecting a good assisted living home, it’s absolutely essential to make sure that your top choices follow regulations. Simply check the medicare site to find out if the companies are up to date and complying with everything set forth in the Nursing Home Act.
Also check if these facilities are licensed, if it’s been revoked…check if they have financial records available and recent document and reference inspection data. That way you’ll be on the safe side.
#3 Visit the locations and be thorough
Once you’ve narrowed down your options and checked they’re legal, pay a visit to your top choices. Check the structure of the building, if the rooms and common areas are clean, the size of rooms, its commodities, talk to the staff to find out the kind of activities you can take on, such as gardening.
#4 Talk to residents and people whom you know live in these facilities
When visiting, talk to local residents to see how often do they get checked up, if the staff is always on duty or not, how well they actually live, if they have services (supermarkets, drugstores, etc.) nearby…Also, if you know other people who live in these type of residences you can ask them to share their own experiences and help you avoid making avoidable mistakes.