Three Things To Watch For When Touring An Assisted Living Facility
When the time has come to begin finding the right assisted living facility for a loved one, it's beneficial to take an opportunity to tour a couple facilities in your community. While you read about each facility and speak to a representative over the phone, actually walking through the premises will give you an accurate picture of the home and its staff. Assisted living facilities will typically allow the family members of prospective residents to schedule a visit that includes a tour and an information session. Throughout the visit, make sure to watch for these three things.
Interactions Between Staff And Residents
Observing the nature of the interactions between the assisted living facility staff members and the residents can help you evaluate the professionalism of the home. Even if the staff members you notice are busy, they should still be able to make a point of greeting residents by their names, offering a smile and sharing a kind word. Look at the facial expressions of staff members and residents as they greet each other – you should ideally be seeing warm, genuine expressions during each encounter. You want to select a home in which this positive manner of interaction is the norm; even if you encounter an upset resident, it's ideal for the majority of interactions to appear positive.
Overall Cleanliness
You should have a clear picture of the overall cleanliness of the assisted living facility by the end of the tour. Use your various senses to gauge the degree of which the home is kept clean. It's important that the rooms you visit smell and look clean; while it's possible that residents might have had an accident shortly before your arrival, the overall feeling that you get from walking around the home should be one of cleanliness. If you're able, try to check out a washroom in a residents' room or even in a common area. Washrooms are often indicative of an establishment's overall cleanliness and you want to see signs that the washroom is regularly cleaned thoroughly.
Focus On Safety
The facility should use a wide range of safety elements to keep its residents safe. Keep a watchful eye out for smoke detectors in each room, railings and grab bars in hallways and washrooms, non-slip floor coverings around doors and more. You can also note safety accessories such as fire extinguishers mounted throughout the premises. Take a moment to check the inspection certificate on a couple fire extinguishers to confirm that it has been inspected recently.
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