Mistakes to Avoid When Looking for Assisted Living

Selecting an assisted living community for your loved one is a challenging process. After all, it’s an important decision which places the care of mom or dad in the hands of people you do not know. Understandably, this is a major concern for a lot of children of senior parents. How do you know if you can trust an assisted living facility with your loved one? And more importantly, how do you know if you’re making the right choice for everyone involved? In this article, our care team at Lester Senior Living discusses four common mistakes that can easily be made while searching for an assisted living community, and how to avoid them:

1. Prioritizing your preferences above those of your elderly loved one. It’s easy to get caught up in your own tastes when looking at a community and become enthusiastic about amenities your senior parent may not actually care for. Since this is where your loved one will be living, it’s important to keep them involved in the scouting process as much as possible. Especially if they have Alzheimer’s or dementia. Try and keep in mind what they used to enjoy the most before their memory issues developed. For example, if your mom loved gardening, try finding a community with lovely gardens that she can enjoy. This is essentially a more important aspect to consider than the state-of-the-art fitness center from a competitor community.
2. Forgetting about future needs. The independent living community you’re looking at may offer the lively social life and apartment-style living your loved one would enjoy, but what about when he or she grows older? Is the apartment easy to navigate with a wheelchair? Can they provide meals? What programs are available to Alzheimer’s or dementia residents? Try to choose a community which offers both independent and assisted living services, so that your loved one isn’t faced with a second, stressful move in the years to come.
3. Not realizing how much care is actually needed. Here, it’s important to honestly and accurately evaluate your loved one’s care needs in order to find a community that can provide the right level of services. Take note of mobility limitations and other health issues, as well as their level of independence. Will your loved one need bathing assistance? Is he or she able to cook meals? Are they suffering from memory loss? Answering questions like these will help make sure your loved one’s comfort, safety and health will be properly managed within the community.
4. Deciding under pressure. This is a stressful time for any family, but rushing into a decision can easily leave mom or dad worse off than before, so it’s worth it to take as much time as you need. First, work out your loved one’s priorities and do some research into the areas which suit your family. Then, book visits with 3 to 5 different communities to help get a better idea of what they offer and how they differ from one another. Don’t forget to keep your loved one involved wherever possible, and go back to any community for a second look or to ask any unanswered questions.

Assisted living communities that prioritize independence

At JCHC’s Lester Senior Living, we’re all about keeping seniors as independent as possible, while supporting them with personal care services to make their lives easier. Additionally, we are able to scale these services at any point if they require a higher level of care, including professional memory support for Alzheimer’s and dementia residents in our specialized memory care suites. We also offer social programs to encourage residents to get more involved with  community life and make new friends along the way. The top priority at all JCHC communities is to ensure each resident gets the help and support they require to live a full and happy life with us. 

For more information about our senior living communities across New Jersey, please give us a call today or visit our website at: https://jchcorp.org

Original content posted on https://jchcorp.org/mistakes-to-avoid-when-looking-for-assisted-living/