Transitioning to assisted living can be difficult. Whether you are making the move for a loved one or are deciding for yourself, there is both a practical and emotional aspect to making the choice. Many people have a hard time admitting that it’s time to ask for help.
Fortunately, not all assisted living facilities are the same. When you’re shopping for the right location for you or your loved one, it’s important to make sure that you navigate the process with some background and understanding of what you’re looking for. After all, choosing the right location and facility is key to your loved one’s quality of life.
Here at Rocky Mountain Assisted Living, we understand how difficult this process can be. We’ve seen many families labor over the decision, and even more who feel lost when it comes to choosing a community for their loved ones. We want you to know that you aren’t alone in this process, and there are resources to help you. To prove it, we’ve assembled some tips for how to choose an assisted living community in Lakewood.
Consider Physical Needs
From a practical standpoint, it’s best to consider your loved one’s physical needs first. After all, most individuals move to an assisted living community because they don’t have the physical capacity to navigate and support themselves in their current living situation. It’s important that anywhere they move has the appropriate setup and amenities for their abilities.
Think about any mobility issues that your loved one may have and what might alleviate any roadblocks for them. This may weed out some options that don’t have appropriate physical amenities to meet their needs.
Consider What the Staff Will Need to Do
Another huge reason that individuals move to assisted living facilities is to get more reliable access to support. Some people need ongoing medical support, while others simply need help getting around and performing daily tasks. Whichever is true for your loved one, be sure that you consider these needs in your decision.
If they need to be reminded to take their pills or need help assessing blood sugar or blood pressure, a facility that provides medical assistance is probably best. If your loved one is more concerned with tasks like grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning, you’ll want to look for an assisted living community where the staff can provide help in those areas.
Meet Their Emotional and Social Needs
Many individuals who move into assisted living communities are concerned about the emotional and social aspects. While physical help is important, it’s also essential that your loved one has adequate socialization and emotional support in their new home. Talk to them about what kind of programs and activities they might like to do.
Consider their interests and hobbies and look for an assisted living community that supports these interests. For example, if your loved one likes to paint, look for assisted living communities that offer art classes or the opportunity for art groups. If your loved one wants to make new friends, make sure that your options include communities that encourage socialization and intermingling among residents.
Include Family
Moving a family member into an assisted living facility doesn’t mean that they won’t need to see their family any longer. The move simply means that they need more support and resources than their family can provide on their own. It’s still important to consider the family when you choose a community, as your loved one may want to host gatherings and enjoy visits from their loved ones.
If you have a large family, you may want to look for a place that has more open-concept apartments or larger social areas where the family can gather. If the family enjoys outdoor activities, perhaps a location with ample green spaces would be best. Be sure to consider the size of your family and what you like to do together, and make sure that the assisted living community that you choose can accommodate these interests.
Look at Lifestyle
With the number of options available for assisted living facilities in the Lakewood area, you can be specific about what you want for your loved one. This means that it’s appropriate and helpful to look at a community’s lifestyle as a whole to see if it matches what your loved one needs or wants.
While assisted care facilities used to be fairly standard, they now aim to celebrate the lifestyle and culture of the aging population. Just because an individual lives in assisted living, it does not mean that their life is over. Far from it, in fact. There are still many wonderful years ahead, and it’s important that your loved one is able to enjoy them. A key part of that is finding a community that matches their lifestyle and goals for this new chapter of their life.
Take a Tour
It’s difficult to get a full picture of an assisted living community without spending some time there in person. This is why it’s important to tour potential communities before committing to one. Websites, and even phone calls with staff, can’t fully indicate what a community is like. To get the true and full picture, you should walk around the facilities yourself to get a feel for the place. This will not only ensure that your loved one gets what they need, but it will also put your mind at ease.
Consider Rocky Mountain Assisted Living
Here at Rocky Mountain Assisted Living, we do things differently. Our goal is to make sure that our seniors are fully supported and enjoy the time that they spend in our community. Everything from our community design to our social programs has been created with senior needs in mind to ensure that your loved one receives the best care and support in Lakewood. We listen closely to your loved one’s needs and adapt our methods as these needs change and evolve. When your loved one lives with us, you can rest assured that they are treated with the utmost dignity, respect, and care. The residents here are our family too.
For more information or to schedule a tour, please contact us online today.