9 Tips on What to Look for an Assisted Living Center
You truly care for your elderly loved one. So, when it’s time to find a quality Utah assisted living center, you want to be sure to choose the best one possible. The quality of care they provide your loved one will directly affect his/her quality of life. So, here are nine tips about assisted living in Utah.
1) It Needs to Look and Smell Clean
Does the assisted living community smell and look clean and fresh? Look around the furniture, at the windows, baseboards and corners of the rooms. Find out about housekeeping policies and maintenance response times in regards to personal living areas. Do they provide laundry services? And, if so, how often? Pay close attention to odors, which could be a temporary issue, or a reflection of a general lack of good sanitation.
2) Visit During Active Hours
When scheduling a tour of the community, make sure it’s during activities or events. You want to be able to participate, or at least watch the community activities. Are many in attendance? Does staff participate and seem to enjoy them? Does the calendar of events match the interests of your loved one? Are trips outside of the community scheduled?
3) Is the Staff Friendly?
Whether or not the staff is upbeat, positive and friendly is vital to your loved one’s quality of care. Pay attention to the way staff interacts with the residents. Do they make eye contact and actually listen to community members? How many people are generally on-staff during the day, as well as after hours?
4) Observe the Outdoors
Your loved one will surely need to enjoy the fresh Utah air sometimes. That means there needs to be outdoor areas that are readily accessible, clean, secure and safe. There should also be outdoor activities scheduled regularly.
5) How’s the Food?
Seniors are generally very picky eaters. Therefore, it’s best that the community offers entrée choices. You also want to learn about dining procedures and hours, as well as meal options if your loved one is not able to make it to the dining room. You and your loved one should both sit down to a meal during a visit to sample the food.
6) Find Out about Safety and Security
Know that your senior loved one is safe and secure will give you both more peace of mind. The bathrooms be easily accessible, with grab-bars in the necessary locations. There should be a way for residents to quickly contact staff if any type of emergency arises in the private living areas, and throughout the entire community. Make sure someone is on-site to address emergencies and security issues 24-hours per day.
7) Personal Care Counts
Discuss personal care, such as bathing options, haircuts, shaving and nail grooming options. During your visit, make sure residents are clean, well-groomed and dressed properly.
8) Get Family and Resident Feedback
Hold conversations with a few residents and their family members. Find out what they think about the community, its staff, security, safety and cleanliness. Also, check for online reviews for the facility as well.
9) What’s the Move-Out Policy?
Many seniors move multiple times searching for the right assisted living community for them. So, be sure to ask about the move-out policy, just in case. If it requires more than a 30-day notice, this could be a problem.
When it’s time, be prepared. Follow these nine tips about assisted living in Utah County.
