Whether you yourself are currently looking for senior living communities in your local area and are looking forward to a new phase of your life whereby things will be easier, and you will have more time to do the things you love, or you are actually looking on behalf of a loved one, you have come to the right place.
Continue reading to learn four key questions to ask when considering moving to senior living facilities.
- What Activities & Excursions Do You Provide?
Usually, reputable and renowned senior living facilities work to produce an enriching and ever-changing monthly calendar of both in-house activities for their residents and day and even overnight excursions to local and farther-afield attractions too. Find out a typical week of activities for each potential community and, if possible, speak to current residents regarding such matters too.
Furthermore, even though money should not be a primary consideration, for the vast majority of people, it is. As such, you should also check that all activities are included in the monthly payment.
- How Involved Can Family Be?
One of the most important questions of them all, which should be of optimum priority, is related to what role each resident’s family can play.
Always choose a senior living facility, such as assisted living Southbury CT, that actively encourages the involvement of family members and not only allows visitors to the site at any time (within reason, of course). Moreover, often senior living communities offer the opportunity for family members to join residents in activities and excursions, as well as volunteering opportunities within the facilities.
- To What Level Are the Staff Trained?
When it comes to the level of training the staff at each senior living community have been given, this is entirely dependent on the type of facility you are looking into.
As independent living facilities, for example, are essentially self-contained apartments whereby residents live entirely independent lives, you are likely to find that there will only be a couple of staff members who are medical professionals. Conversely, suppose you are focused on looking for a prestigious memory care facility. In that case, naturally, staff members are likely to be all medically trained, as much more specific assistance, care, and treatment is required to be provided for the residents.
- Are the Residents Listened To?
The fourth question to ask any potential senior living community ahead of signing on the dotted line, so to speak, is perhaps the most pertinent of all.
Ask staff members and, ideally, the manager of the particular facility whether or not they have a Residents’ Council and, more specifically, how they ensure that every resident’s voice is heard. The residents should be of top and, indeed, the only real priority, and you want to select a community that focuses on creating a flourishing and fulfilling environment. If you have the opportunity, speak to some of the residents themselves to see how they like living there, if any family are around, ask them how they like the care that is provided for their loved one.