How to Research Assisted Living Facilities

Are your parents having a hard time living at home alone? Are they having difficulty managing their own medication, doing basic housekeeping, or general hygiene? It might be time to step in and help them find an alternative place to live. Both you and your parents have a huge decision before you. Make sure you are methodical while gathering information. The decision you make will impact your parents life greatly.

You have a few different types of living to look at. Group homes offer a smaller, homelike environment. Residential Care Facilities and Assisted Living Facilities are almost identical in what services they offer. The only difference between the two types is the physical environment offered.

Assisted Living Facilities offer private units or apartments with a minimum of 220 square feet. They will have a kitchenette with sink, and a refrigerator. Each unit will have its own private bathroom that has a wheelchair-accessible shower. The Residential Care Facility is not required to offer a kitchenette, the units may be shared or private, and they may have individual or common bathrooms.

When you begin your search look at several facilities (and each of the various types). Both assisted living and residential care are good options for people who can no longer live independently, yet want to maximize their independence while in the safety of a residential setting. These types of settings are designed to accommodate individual residents' changing needs and preferences, maximize dignity, privacy, independency, individuality, choice, and safety. They encourage both family and community involvement, and minimize the need for an individual to relocate as their care needs advance.

When beginning your search call several facilities and ask for preliminary information to be sent to you. This first contact will tell you a lot. Are they agreeable to send you any and all the information you are requesting, are they trying to get the potential residents name, phone number, and other information before giving you information, are they aggressive on the phone, how long did it take to get the information, and finally, did they send you what you asked for. Once you have gone thru all the brochures, disclosure statements, price lists, etc it is now time to tour each facility. Remember that you are choosing a home. After visiting several facilities on your initial list you should be able to narrow down the field to two or three. Take another tour, have lunch (or dinner) there, ask about specific services they offer, talk to the residents. Do the residents and the staff look happy? How long has the administrator been at that particular facility? The longevity in long term care facilities is low. Most administrators seem to only last a couple of years. Sit down and talk with the administrator. How knowledgeable about the facility is this person. Do they seem both knowledgeable and sincere; or are they providing only what they think you want to hear?

You also might want to drop in during non-business hours; possibly on a weekend when no administrative staff is on duty. Walk around and see if the facility is clean and odor free. Are the common areas attractive, comfortable, and inviting? Do the residents socialize with each other?
What type of activities are going on?

Once you have narrowed your search down to the top two or three it is time to start comparing costs. Costs among facilities vary greatly. What one facility offers in their basic rate another might charge for. Find out what is and what is not included in the basic rate. How does the facility charge for services? Are there charges for choosing not to use the facility pharmacy, for arranging medical appointments, or for general transportation? What are the policies for refunding your money? Does the billing and credit policies seem fair and equitable to you?

Ask what the move-out criteria is? Make sure you get specifics. If your parents care needs go to high the facility might ask them to leave. Knowledge is power. Know exactly what they use to determine when a person is no longer suitable to live there.

In the ALF/RCF environment most offer 24 hour supervision, three meals a day and snacks, some offer modified diets, personal care services such as bathing, dressing, toileting, and mobility help are offered. Recreational and spiritual activities, laundry and linen services, and housekeeping and general maintenance are also standard services. Facilities may provide additional services for an additional charge. Know up front what will happen when your loved one requires more care. Will the facility charge more? Will they ask them to move out? Does the facility accommodate two person transfers (most do not), do they assist with eating, do they provide transportation to doctors offices, shopping, or recreational activities? Is a beautician available on site?

What does the staffing look like? How many caregivers are on each shift? How many medication aides? Is a nurse available? What exactly is the nurses role? Many ALF/RCF settings have a consulting nurse that consults for training, reviewing doctor's orders, providing basic infection control, etc. This type of nurse does not do hands on nursing care. Most assisted living facilities do not provide direct patient/resident care. The staff that passes the medication does not have to be certified. Do not let this scare you though. The staff does have to be trained in safe medication handling and basic first aid. Good facilities offer ongoing training for all their staff members to increase their Knowledge base.

As you continue to narrow your choice go over the service plan with everyone present. This assessment and evaluation should be done by a Registered Nurse. Be wary if the marketer or administrator do that. In my experience, the nurses look out for the best of the prospective resident, the marketer looks at dollar signs. The service plan should cover all the services that will be provided and you should be able to get an exact amount of what it will cost to live there.

Choosing the appropriate care setting for you parents can be difficult, but with information you can make a good choice that will positively affect your parents quality of life. The process can be frustrating, but it is worth it in the end.