You want the best for your loved ones. That’s why, when it comes time to select an assisted living or memory care facility for an aging member of your family, the choices can be overwhelming. How do you decide if a facility is the right fit? More importantly, how can you ensure the quality of your loved one’s care? We’ve compiled several questions to ask a memory care facility to make the selection process worry-free.
Questions to Ask a Memory Care Facility
What Level of Care Will My Loved One Receive?
It’s crucial to assess a facility’s level of care to make sure it fits your loved one’s needs. Maybe your loved one is still able to live independently and just needs some extra help. Maybe they’re dealing with challenges like diabetes, mobility issues, wandering, or aggressiveness that may require special care. Be sure to ask facilities about the level of personal assistance given to their residents. Can your loved one expect round-the-clock care from trained professionals? Will they receive assistance with meals, transportation, and other necessities? Asking these questions is a great first step to help you assess whether or not the facility is a good fit for your loved one.
What Can I Expect From Staff at the Facility?
You want to know that your loved one is in the hands of trained professionals. Therefore, when deciding what questions to ask a memory care facility, make sure to address the training a facility’s staff receives. How does that training reflect their approach to memory care? Is the facility’s staff fully trained in basic safety procedures like CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, and first aid? How many staff members are on call during different times of day? Is there full staff representation on weekends and holidays? Finally, make sure the staff at the facility are well versed in your loved one’s memory condition.
What Does My Loved One’s Housing Include?
Transitioning from independent living to a memory care facility can be challenging for many adults. When selecting a memory care facility, make sure to address all aspects of your loved one’s housing to ensure that they’ll enjoy the transition. Get pricing breakdowns for both private and semi-private rooms along with the monthly rate for housing and the care that accompanies it. If the facility offers additional programming like laundry service, housekeeping, exercise, and social activities, make sure to confirm the pricing of these add-ons. Finally, check in on your loved one’s meal service. Does the facility provide three meals a day, and are special dietary needs accommodated? Does the facility provide special meals during holidays? Considerations like these can make a world of difference when it comes to your loved one’s comfort.
How Does the Facility Address Emergencies?
Your loved one’s safety is the most important consideration when choosing a memory care facility. Make sure to ask about the facility’s policies for medical emergencies or disasters like fires and inclement weather. You’ll also want to ask about the facility’s plan for handling memory care issues like confusion or anger – issues that can lead to harmful situations for your loved one and those around them. Finally, make sure that a facility has steps in place to communicate with you about your loved one’s well-being in the case of an emergency.
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Choosing a memory care facility for your loved one can be a stressful decision. At Waterstone on Augusta, we’re committed to helping you through this transition. Our passion for service combined with our expert staff and unique community design make us a great choice for your loved one’s memory care. For more information on our approach to memory care, call us at 864-605-7236 or check out our brochure.