3 Mistakes To Avoid When Searching For An Assisted Living Community For Your Parent
As senior citizens age, their adult children often eventually face a time when they realize that their parents can no longer safely live on their own. In many cases, adult children may not have the space or lifestyle to be able to have their aging parent move into their own home. One solution that most people turn to is assisted living communities. Finding the best assisted living community for a parent is a priority for many adult children. If you're searching for an assisted living community for your elderly parent, avoid the following mistakes:
Judging a Community by How It Looks
It is never a good idea to judge an assisted living community solely by how it looks on an initial tour. A community could be brand new and look beautiful, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it is able to meet the needs of your parent. On the other hand, an older assisted living community may not look as fancy, but it may end up being perfect for your loved one. When searching for an assisted living community for your parent, go beyond what a place looks like and find out more about the level of care offered, the staff, and what the community offers residents.
Not Thinking About the Future
Many elderly people who live in assisted living communities may be fairly independent and not need a lot of medical care. Some assisted living communities offer small apartments for these residents; they are able to maintain some independence while also having caregivers on-call for help when it is needed.
But even if your parent is relatively healthy now, it is important to also think ahead to the future. Many people develop health problems the older they get. Look for an assisted living community that offers different levels of care and medical treatment so you won't have to move your parent to a different community down the road.
Failure to Understand the Pricing Structure
There are no set fees for assisted living communities, so it is important to know what one charges and what is included. Some assisted living communities charge one fee for room and board and a separate fee for personal and medical care. Other communities offer al a carte fees, while some have an "all-inclusive" fee that covers room and board, personal and medical care, and activities. Make sure you completely understand the pricing structure of an assisted living community that you're interested in for your parent so you can make sure that it fits your family's budget.
