In each state senior assisted living facilities have different licensing requirements. Before you place a parent in a facility make sure you know what the licensing requirements are in your state. For instance there may be several different levels that are accepted as senior assisted living in your state, but each level might have different caregiving requirements. The license of one facility might require a 24 hour registered nurse or another require only one CNA on the evening shift and no registered nurse at any time.
Depending on the level of care your parent needs, you may want a facility with a registered nurse or to make sure that an LPN is distributingmedications. Definitely check out the number of caregivers per patient. Visit the facility several times during the day, evening and over the weekend. Lots of flashing bells and lights for more than ten minutes is not a good sign. Check out the kitchen for cleanliness and the food for nutrition and pleasure.
Inquire about medical care and who the facility uses as the general practicioner, especially if you are coming from out of the area. Some of the facilities are corporate and use a physician who may be located hundreds of miles away and you will need to rely on physician assistants who visit once a week.If you have your own physician, inquire if that doctor is allowed to come on the premises.
It is also important to be proactive with the administration and find out who you can meet with on a weekly or bi-weekly basis concerning your parent.I can't stress the importance, especially if your parent has had a short hospital stay with a change in prescriptions. You also want to make sure just to make sure you parent is socializing, eating and having normal bodily functions. It is so much better to be on top of things before something like a drug interaction,fall or illness takes place. Or, your parent becomes lonely and depressed.
Socialization is a tricky and important part of your parent's well being while in assisted living. Make sure you visit the facility several times a day and during the evening, especially times when residents have a chance to mingle. With the rise in Alzheimers many patients, especially in the early stages, are mixed in with mentally competent residents, making it impossible for the healthy resident to engage in a conversation or connect at the dinner table and in other social situations. If there is no way around this issue, look for others on the same level as your parent and encourage friendships.
If you would like your parent to be able to get out on supervised excursions to the mall or another venue, determine if the facility has this service.Some assisted living facilities are very conscious and proactive about taking residents out in the community, while others leave it up to relatives.
Realize that if your parent needs to be hospitalized for a long period of time, while in assisted living, you will probably need to pay to hold their room. If you can not afford this, be prepared to move out and have a place for storage of belongings and get on a waiting list for the post-hospital stay.
I have been a caregiver to my mother for over 12 years and during the past five months have in one way or another experienced all of the above issues during entrance to assisted living, hospitalization and the decision to move to a new facility. Because of my mother's physcial needs, it would be impossible for me to care for her in my home at this age.
In November, I did move her from one state to another to be closer to me. It was actually an hour move and the facilities and caretakers are wonderful where we live. However, it has been a learning experience and no matter how wonderful the facility, if you care about your parent's comfort and well-being in their elder years you will always be a "caregiver" and "advocate" no matter where they live.
If you would like more information or have questions, my name is Kathleen MacArthur and you can email me at kathleenchicago2@aol.com.
Take Care,
Kathleen MacArthur, MBA