How to Evaluate an Assisted Living Community.

 

Last year I wrote a blog on this subject (see http://www.evergreenchalet.com/2011/04/choose-assisted-living-facility/). The content is still very much current and worth reading. However, at this time I would like to look at the topic from a different angle.

 

When prospective residents and/or family members come to Evergreen Chalet to check us out, quite often comments and comparisons are made about the size of the rooms, the furniture and the overall “look” of the place. Sometimes we hear about how much larger the rooms are at some of the facilities ran by big corporations, their new furniture, dining room accommodations, etc., places that of course charge almost twice as much as we are charging.  It seems to me that, unfortunately, some people associate the amount of money they have to pay with the quality of care they would receive, i.e. the more money it costs, the better the care. This, of course, is almost never the case.

 

Clearly, these big facilities have to charge more money because it costs them a lot more to pay for these new buildings, fancy furniture, top heavy corporate administrators and many other niceties that make the place look like a very expensive hotel or resort. But none of the above translates into better care. Care is provided by caregivers. The better the ratio of caregivers to residents, the longer the caregivers stay with the company, the better the training the caregivers receive – the more likely it is that the residents will receive great care. So if you or your loved one require minimal care, are in fairly good shape, fairly independent, then you could concentrate more on the general looks and atmosphere of the place. However, if you need help with some of the activities of daily living such as bathing, toileting, transferring, etc. or perhaps a touch of Alzheimer’s, then you should concentrate more on the quality of care the community can offer and less on the size of the room and the quality of the furniture.

 

The decision to move into an assisted living community is a difficult one and the move itself very traumatic for the resident. So it is of utmost importance to make sure that there is a good match between the needs of the resident and what the community can offer in order to avoid repeated moves. Luckily, there are a number of good resources that can help one to evaluate assisted living communities and make the right choice.

 

1. Choosing a Non-Medical Out-Of-Home Care for Seniors in California

www.ccld.ca.gov/res/pdf/NMOHC.pdf (from Community Care Licensing Division)

 

2. Residential Care / Assisted Living: How to Find and Evaluate RCFEs

www.canhrorg/RCFE/rcfe_find.htm (from California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform)

 

3. Guide to Choosing an Assisted Living Residence

www.alfa.org/images/alfa/PDFs/getfile.cfm_product_id=94&file=ALFAchecklist.pdf (from Assisted Living Federation of America)

 

4. CARR’s Guide for Evaluating Assisted Living Facilities

www.rcfereform.org/news/CARRs_Guide_for_Evaluating_Assisted_Living_Facilities (from Consumer Advocates for RCFE Reform)