Image credit: www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/Halfpoint
Deciding to avail of aged care services for your aging parent is already a tough decision to make. You’ll have to consider the costs, effectiveness and regularity of the treatments, and the well-being of your parent. However, providing them with the best care will be good for them.
Qualified medical staff will help your senior parent carry out everyday tasks, such as bathing, dressing, and eating meals. They’ll also be readily available to address medical problems or emergency situations that may occur. They’ll protect the elderly from harm too. The elderly are usually easy targets of frauds or violent crimes, and they’re prone to accidents, especially when they have health issues like memory problems. Medical staff will see to it that your elderly parent is always safe and sound. They’ll even assist the elderly with accessing modern technology, such as sending emails or making phone calls.
Choosing a senior health care facility can be challenging. You’ll come across a wide range of options that you may find overwhelming. Primarily, your top concern is the welfare of your parent. You want to make sure that they’re comfortable and taken care of by reliable, skilled staff.
Read on to learn about how to pick the right aged care services for your parent.
1. List Down Reputable Senior Healthcare Facilities Near You
Facilities for senior citizens have been growing in number nowadays due to rising demand, so looking for a suitable one might be hard. However, you can start by listing down the available aged care services near you.
This process is quite simple. All you have to do is the following steps:
- Checking official websites of nearby facilities
- Asking doctors for referrals
- Inquiring your local government, as they usually have a complete list of facilities
2. Compare The Facilities And Make Inquiries
Now that you have a list of options, you can research each one. Learning about each facility will take time and effort, but it’ll be worth it since you’ll be able to find a suitable one for your elderly parent.
Before you visit the facilities, make sure to prepare some questions related to the things you consider important or aspects that are relevant, such as the number of residents living in the facility and the kinds of activities offered.
You can refer to this checklist to come up with questions:
- Staffing Arrangements: Staffing arrangement is basically the ratio of staff to the elderly present. It’ll be wise to choose a facility with a lot of staff members that can look after a manageable number of residents. Knowing the number of staff in each department will be prove useful too, such as the kitchen, activities, nursing, and therapy. Additionally, you should check the employees’ demeanor and how staff turnover is systematized.
- Staff Training For Special Care Services: If your elderly parent is diagnosed with a serious medical condition, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, or is deaf and mute, you need to ensure that the facility you select is well-equipped with trained staff. Find out the whole-person care, as well as company compliance standards. Other questions you can include are: ‘What’s the facility’s philosophy?’; ‘What are its orientation practices?’; ‘How do they evaluate team members?’ Generally, assisted living facilities have employees who work 24/7 to promote the health and wellness of residents, so it’ll be great to ask about the type of personnel that’s available at all times.
- Access To Medical Staff: Access to doctors and medical specialists is another crucial aspect to look into. Being familiar with how frequent doctors, nurses, and other medical specialists visit residents will reassure you that help is always provided in case of emergency.
- Health And Safety: You can ask to see the facility’s health and safety report. Past incidents between staff and clients are an indicator of how the facility treats its residents. You can also check the meal services the facility provides. Are residents served healthy meals? What are the menu options? How is meal planning done? Do they offer different kinds of setups, like family-style, buffet, or restaurant dining? Furthermore, assess the safety guidelines of the facility. A safe facility should be equipped with fire sprinklers and fire exits and should be wheelchair-accessible.
- Comfort And Convenience: Comfort and convenience are vital to ensure that your aging parent’s health remains stable. Hence, you need to examine the quality of the beds, mattresses and availability of wardrobes and cupboards. Take the overall room atmosphere and status into account as well and ask if the rooms are provided with accessible panic alarms.
- Cleanliness And Housekeeping: A well-established and trustworthy facility values cleanliness, providing housekeeping services. After all, the level of cleanliness they boast determines the overall quality of their services.
- Personalization: See if you can personalize the room where your aging parent will be staying. Putting family photos on the wall or memorabilia on the side table will help your senior parent adjust easily and feel at home at the facility.
- Activities: Go for a facility that not only boasts well-trained staff and quality services but also engaging activities. Search for activities that are physically rewarding, intellectually stimulating, spiritual, or sociable. What sort of activities do they hold? What activities are popular? Do staff members introduce residents to future activity programs? A variety of activities reflect a vibrant community your aging parent will love.
- Role of Family: One more important question to ask is the role of family. The ideal facility should, of course, allow visits, offer volunteer opportunities, and encourage participation in social activities. Can families consult different departments on matters related to their loved ones? Does the family play a role in meeting the needs or preferences of their loved ones?
3. Seek Consumer Feedback
Once you’ve checked every facility and narrowed your list down, read online reviews. Ask relatives or friends for referrals. They may share some helpful information about the facility or their experiences.
Conclusion
Looking for a good facility won’t be an easy task to do, but with this guide, you’ll be able to find the right aged care services that your senior parent deserves. You just need to devote time to research and ask the right questions. At the end of the day, the welfare of your parent is what matters the most.
