Making the decision for a senior relative to move into a care home is never an easy one for your family to make – not only because of the emotional ties attached to the decision but also because you want to be sure that you find the right place for them, somewhere they can be happy. However, with so much choice and many factors to consider, the selection process can feel a lot more difficult than you would want it to be. Therefore, it makes sense to narrow your search to a few important elements that you consider essential, and then search outward from there, giving you firm parameters to start from.
When you’re deciding which factors to keep your eye on as essential ‘must haves’, they will likely fall into two different categories – one being medical and the other being about the leisure facilities for the residents. The importance of each of these two categories isn’t comparable and are firmly separate – one shouldn’t necessarily be discounted in favor of the other. The medical facilities that a care home can provide your loved one are obviously vital but the comfort provided to the residents should be a consideration as well, given it’ll be their new home.
What Is the Location Like?
The location of an assisted living residence is something to consider for two main reasons: first of all, is it somewhere accessible where you’ll be able to visit whenever you’re wanting to? Secondly, there is the location surrounding the residence itself – how quiet it is, how picturesque is it and is generally pleasant to spend time there? While in an ideal world you would automatically choose a place that was surrounded by gorgeous scenery and had no drawbacks whatsoever, there are obviously financial considerations at hand and limitations are an unfortunate part of the process – as is compromise.
However, location isn’t just about the surrounding scenery of any given establishment, it’s also as much about the establishment itself and what it can offer the residents. Studies have shown how important a sense of place can be for residents, as they won’t have the benefit of being able to frequently visit a lot of different locations. This is something that’s quite easily forgotten when you still find yourself able to navigate a wide range of areas at your leisure.
The Quality of Care Provided
Considerations of the location of the care home and how that will feel to the residents there are important because you want them to be somewhere they enjoy being and don’t immediately feel the desire to leave. It’s a fairly personal decision that takes their preferences into account and is likely something that you’ll have to discuss fairly extensively with your loved one in order to find the right place for them. The quality of care that the home provides, on the other hand, is something that’s not so easy to glean just from being there and looking around, but it’s a very important factor to consider – especially if that’s the primary reason they’ll be moving into assisted living in the first place. While the condition of assisted living residents vary, you’ll want to be able to relax knowing that your loved one is in capable hands, regardless of what that condition may be.
For the best solution covering assisted living Vancouver, check out Clearwater Springs, which prides itself on its professional and effective care staff that not only provide excellent care services but also make the residents feel at home. Part of what makes an environment positive is the attitude of the people inhabiting it – if the staff surrounding your loved one are positive and helpful then it could have a contagious effect, reflecting in the residents as well.
Making Sure They Have All of the Information They’ll Need
Part of the process of your loved one transitioning into a new home is knowing what you can do to make sure the staff at the residence has all the information they’ll need going forward. This can include all of their medical information, as well as some of their preferences in general, which can help them to settle in more efficiently, with care staff having a better understanding of how to make them comfortable. Anything you can think to do to make the transition more emotionally smooth is likely something worth doing – this applies for your loved one but for you as well, as the process can be tumultuous.
The idea is to create a transparent environment between you and the care home where the care of your loved one is consistently the top priority and there aren’t any issues getting in the way of them getting taken care of or you checking in. The experience of moving into assisted living is likely going to be enough of an experience where any additional stresses would seem wholly unnecessary, so ensuring you’re up to date with what the care home needs from you is a good way to ensure the best backdrop.
Somewhere Your Loved One Can Be Happy
The core of all of these points is the loved one who is being moved into assisted living, making sure that they’re happy and comfortable, doing all you can to ease the stress of the situation. The initiation of this discussion with them is likely to be a difficult one and it can be hard to know exactly what to say or how to approach them about it. While you don’t want them to be upset, this decision should ultimately be about what’s best for them and you have to know when to draw that line. As a result, going forward it’s important that you maintain open and honest conversations with them about your options, keeping what they want as a priority while also being realistic about the situation.
Ultimately the transition can be emotional and care home staff are aware of this – their business is making sure that your loved one is happy where they are, so finding the right people to make that happen is a big priority here.