How to Find Assisted Living Facilities
Looking for an assisted living facility is an important process that requires care and concern. Individuals with an elderly family member who can no longer live self-sufficiently should visit multiple facilities to find the one that's right for their loved ones. This process includes interviewing staff members at each location considered before making a final decision. The search starts with locating assisted living facilities near where you or your elderly relative live.
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Things You'll Need
- Phone book or Internet connection
- Licensing and certification reports from selected facilities
- Copy of resident agreement or facility contract
- Meal menu
- Activities schedule
Instructions
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How to Find and Consider Assisted Living Facilities
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Search for reputable assisted living facilities. The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) offers a list of state affiliates with contact information on its website. Click on your state and then search for provider information in that state. Each state website is independently operated so they will all look different. However, each state site provides a search function for providers in the state. You can also use ALFA's list of state contact information to speak with someone directly about a suitable provider for your loved one. Click on the link for your state to find help finding an assisted living facility in that state. Your elderly relative may live in a different city than you and it may not be feasible for you to move him out to your city. In this case, you will need to search for an assisted living facility in your loved one's city of residence.
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Make a list of three to six assisted living facilities that you want to visit. Call each one and request information from them to narrow your search. Particularly if you are planning your search for a city other than your own, make the time you spend worthwhile by asking the facilities to provide you with licensing and certification reports from their state, a copy of the resident agreement or facility contract and also copies of recent meal menus and activity schedules. Having these documents will give you an advance idea of what is included in the cost of care as well as the quality of what is offered to the residents.
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Investigate the materials sent by the assisted living facilities you have contacted. Look for licensing and certification reports that states require facilities to make available to the public. Examine the reports for patterns of deficiencies such as repeated medication errors and neglect. While many facilities may be cited for minor problems, some display patterns of providing sub-par care that you will not want your loved one to experience.
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Select an assisted living facility in an accessible and central location that makes it easy for your loved one to receive visits from family and friends. If people can easily visit, it may ease feelings of frustration or sadness experienced by your loved one at the loss of her autonomy and provide a truly enjoyable living situation.
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References
- Photo Credit a couple of seniors image by Tomasz Parys from Fotolia.com
