Assisted Living: A Great Option.....

Say what?

The man at the $1800 a month for one little room actually said that to us. He wasn't the only one, either.

Assisted Living centers weren't the only ones to promote that either. I remember getting a brochure for a senior apartment complex. These were one bedroom apartments, that were priced at least 50% more than the market for similar apartments. They offered nothing else that other apartments didn't offer. There might have been the help me buzzer in the bathroom, but really, 50% more?

As needy as I was at the time, that stuck in my craw. Why would anyone want to pay that much for something that they didn't need?

Mom put her foot down, and it turns out the she was right! Dad got better and cared for her for another year and a half. It eventually got to be too much, but the nurses at Hospice helped him find a nursing home for her then.

She was there for three weeks. He visited every day, all day and was holding her hand when she died in her sleep.

He is now living with me. He cooks and dresses himself, but can't do much of what he used to do. However, I hope and would appreciate your prayers, that it will stay this way until he dies.

Because they didn't go to the Assisted Living, he has some money left. He is frugal, but both a machine to help him read, because of his Macular Degeneration . I hope he finds things to spend it on before he dies, but am also glad that he has some mad money now.

The Elder Care Locater is an industry vehicle, but gives excellent advice for what the homes should do and how to pick a good one.

What They Should Do:

* Health care management and monitoring

* Help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, and eating

* Housekeeping and laundry

* Medication reminders and/or help with medications

* Recreational activities

* Security

* Transportation

How to Look and What to Look for

* Think ahead. What will the resident's future needs be and how will the facility meet those needs?

* Is the facility close to family and friends? Are there any shopping centers or other businesses nearby (within walking distance)?

* Do admission and retention policies exclude people with severe cognitive impairments or severe physical disabilities?

* Does the facility provide a written statement of the philosophy of care?

* Visit each facility more than once, sometimes unannounced.

* Visit at meal times, sample the food, and observe the quality of mealtime and the service.

* Observe interactions among residents and staff.

* Check to see if the facility offers social, recreational, and spiritual activities?

* Talk to residents.

* Learn what types of training staff receive and how frequently they receive training.

* Review state licensing reports.

Additionally:

* Contact your state's long-term care ombudsman to see if any complaints have recently been filed against the assisted living facility you are interested in. In many states, the ombudsman checks on conditions at assisted living units as well as nursing homes.

* Contact the local Better Business Bureau to see if that agency has received any complaints about the assisted living facility.

* If the assisted living facility is connected to a nursing home, ask for information about it, too. (Information on nursing homes can be found on the Medicare website at http://www.medicare.gov/nhcompare/home.asp).

For more information go to this site: Elder Care Locater

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
A National Study of Assisted Living for the Frail Elderly
Results of a National Survey of Facilities