When Your Parents Need Assisted Living

It is not always possible for some of us to provide constant care to our parents or senior loved ones in our own home. Due to this reason, many families are searching for assisted living center for their elderly loved ones.

The most recommendable scenario is the elderly ones to participate in the search process. But, if the elderly one suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, you may have to be the only responsible for the search.

Below, the healthcare professional and CEO of Personal Healthcare, Ephraim Zagelbaum, shares some steps that can help you find the right care.

1. Determine what you can afford.

In the most cases, money is the most important factor that needs to be taken into account. Ephraim Zagelbaum recommends looking for something that the family can afford to pay on a monthly basis. He also suggests considering social security or veterans benefits as creative ways to pay for a care. But, there is a scenario when some families have to make a though decision such as pooling resources from the adult children, selling a family home or even cashing-in a life insurance policy.

2. Get connected with a Senior Living Advisor.

Nowadays the nursing industry is expanding quickly, so it provides an enormous amount of options. After the research about the affordable options is done, a Senior Living Advisor, can help you with providing a list of assisted living communities that meet your criteria. This list can serve you as a start point for your search. If you cannot afford a private-pay senior care and require a state assistance in the form of Medicaid, your Advisor will connect you with the appropriate liaison at the Area Agency on Aging so that you can get this process started.

3. Go visit an assisted living community.

Viewing brochures, floor plans, photos cannot give the overall picture for an assisted living community as an in-person visit.

The healthcare innovator, Ephraim Zagelbaum, recommends visiting at least three communities that are on your short-list. In his opinion, the best time to schedule the visit is during a meal, such as lunch. At that time, the potential residents can try the food and feel the atmosphere, as the other residents will be out. It is recommendable to perform unannounced follow-up tours in order to get a good sense for the community that has been considered.

4. Include your parent or senior loved one.

In Zagelbaum’s opinion, the more involved the elderly people are in the search, the better. The legwork can be done by you, but it is highly recommendable to have discussions with your parents about their desires. At the end, they are those that will spend their time in the community, so their desires and preferences must come first.

5. Prepare to move.

According to Ephraim Zagelbaum, delaying the move can lead to accidents and medical problems, that could be avoided. If your parent or your elderly loved one needs care, it can be risky to procrastinate.

6. Work together towards a decision.

Zagelbaum recommends in his blog posts, trying to make sure that everyone in the family feels good about the choice. He also suggests trying to have conversations with them whenever is possible in order to discuss the pros and cons of each option and to determine the right option. Another important and smart move is reading reviews about senior assisted living communities. This can also provide you a valuable information and help you make a confident decision.