SELECTING
AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY
This Checklist provides the "Road
Map" that will help you select an Assisted Living Facilty
for yourself or a family member - Quickly! Easily! Cost effectively!
Assisted Living is an option in living style, offering a
residence, housekeeping, and personal care services, as well
as safety, companionship, and medication management. It stresses
independence, dignity, individuality, and privacy while offering
24-hour assistance if needed. Assisted Living is not an institution
and is not appropriate for those who need Skilled Nursing
Care.
Selecting an Assisted Living Facility for yourself or a loved
one is an important decision as it will greatly influence
the quality of daily living for the latter part of one's life.
This is not a decision to be taken lightly. There are many
facilities available, some are excellent, and unfortunately
some are poor. Because this decision is so important, it is
often an emotional and stressful one. This checklist is designed
to help take some of the emotion out of the decision making
process by focusing on many of the important factors that
need to be considered. For ONLY a small investment
of $39.95, this workbook will enable you
to easily compare facilities, prioritize your needs, and assist
you in choosing the Assisted Living Facility that best suits
your expected lifestyle.
If you are a family member placing a loved one with Alzheimer's
Disease or Dementia in an Assisted Living Facility, your needs
and concerns are unique and are addressed in the Alzheimer's
and Dementia Section of the Checklist. However, most of the
items discussed in the Checklist apply to all residents, regardless
of cognitive or physical impairment.
MY
STORY:
Assisted Living residents make up a diverse population. They
range from those who are nearly self-sufficient and independent,
with active social lives to those who need assistance with
even minimal daily tasks. In my case, my widowed mother had
been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease two years earlier
and was no longer safe at home. She needed a "special
care" or Alzheimer's/Dementia secured unit.
I had no prior experience with elder care and very little
information when I began my search for a home for my mother.
I was determined to find a very special place for a very special
lady. Over the course of a month I visited fifteen facilities,
rejected some immediately, revisited others, and became overwhelmed
trying to sort out all the information. Trying to remember
all the differences in policies, amenities, and services made
it very difficult to compare facilities. This checklist will
help to minimize those difficulties.
Eventually, I narrowed my list to three facilities and asked
other family members to make visits and offer their opinions.
This process eliminated one facility. My final choice was
based on two key considerations I thought were very important;
the activity program, and the staff. My mother moved into
her new home and began to adjust to her new surroundings.
Things were going well until a medical emergency occurred
a few months after her move and she was rushed to the emergency
room by ambulance. No medical information was sent to the
hospital by the facility despite all the initial promises
that a packet of emergency medical information would be sent
in an emergency situation. Emergency care was delayed in a
very serious situation until I could be located by phone to
provide critical information. I addressed this discrepancy
with facility management in two meetings and through two letters
with no satisfaction. Finally, I filed a complaint of unsafe
medical practices with the Office of Elder Affairs. An investigation
was conducted and the finding was in our favor. The facility
was required to provide medical information in the event of
an emergency for all residents. Very shortly thereafter, the
management team at this facility was replaced.
For two and a half years everything was fine and then recently,
due to personnel promotions, management changed again. Under
new leadership, the focus of the facility changed from providing
the best possible quality of life to being solely profit based.
Long time employees resigned, staff was cut to a bare bones
level, and the quality of care decreased significantly. I
expressed my concern to management. The response was to assure
me that these problems were transitional and would be worked
out for the benefit of all. I am watching carefully, and have
seen positive signs of a return to high quality care. I will
continue to monitor this situation and will settle for nothing
less than the high level of care we had become accustomed
to. Be aware that management changes sometimes mean policy
changes. Do not hesitate to speak up if you observe any changes
that cause you concern.
Overall, I am content with my choice of facility. My mother's
apartment fits her needs, allows her to keep her cherished
personal belongings, and gives her privacy when she wants
it. The staff is exceptional and her care has been excellent.
There is a photo album in a common room on her floor, it contains
pictures of my mother smiling at cook-outs, on field trips,
in the garden, out to lunch, at musical programs, craft classes,
visiting with children, and engaging in the many activities
that occur each day. She likes the staff and although she
can't remember their names, she knows their faces and smiles
when she sees them. Additionally, I have peace of mind knowing
she is safe, well cared for, engaged in pleasant activities
on a daily basis, and her quality of life is the best I could
provide for her.
OBJECTIVE:
This checklist is intended as a guide. There is no facility
that could possibly offer all the options contained in this
checklist. Moreover, all of the items in this list are not
appropriate for all people. Prioritize your needs, compare
facilities, and this checklist will help you make the decision
that best suits your needs or the needs of a loved one.
This document was designed based on my personal experience
selecting an Assisted Living facility for my mother and helping
her adjust to the Assisted Living lifestyle. I hope it serves
you well.
WORDS
OF WISDOM
(Learned the
hard way)
Your first personal contact at a facility will
typically be a Marketing Associate (translate to salesperson).
Their paycheck depends on getting contracts signed. They are
friendly, likable people who are trained to nurture a sense
of trust and also to represent their facility in the best
possible light. Omission is not lying. No need for paranoia,
most are honest and professional. Your job is to listen carefully
and fill in the blanks. Figure out what was left out and ask
questions, ask repeatedly, if necessary. Be sure all your
questions are answered clearly before you sign a contract.
I hope the following "Words of Wisdom" help with
the selection of an Assisted Living Facility that best suits
your needs:
- Never assume anything! Ask the questions you think you
shouldn't have to ask.
- Never sign a contract until you take it home and read
it very carefully. Have a friend or family member read it,
and if possible have an attorney read it. Despite verbal
promises, a facility is only required by law to provide
the services specifically stated in the contract. If the
contract does not match either the promotional literature
or promises made by any staff member, address your concerns
immediately and insist the contract be changed to include
the services you were led to believe were offered. Honest
mistakes are made, however, if a facility balks at changing
a contract, leave and go elsewhere. If they have misled
you once, they will do it again in the future. Once again,
never sign a contract until you completely understand it
and are completely satisfied!
- Do not judge the level of day-to-day services by your
relationship with the Marketing Associate. They are involved
solely in marketing and once you have signed a contract
you will likely never interact with them again.
- An attractive building, lobby, dining room, etc. is not
indicative of the level of services provided. If some areas
of the building look too perfect and untouched, they probably
are. Sometimes rooms are kept in perfect order for the purpose
of appearance or "show and tell". Observe carefully
to determine if these areas are accessible to residents
or if their use is discouraged.
- The cost of a room or apartment is not indicative of
the level of personal care services provided.
- The attitude of the staff directly correlates to the
resident's quality of life. Observe carefully and frequently
before making a decision.
- Talk to the residents themselves, or the families of
residents, to determine the actual quality of care being
given. These people will be very honest with you. Ask what
problems they have encountered. The best question to ask
is "What is the best and worst thing about living in
this facility?" Ask this question often, and ask it
of many different people. Their feedback is invaluable.
- After your initial visit, make several unannounced visits;
at meal times, scheduled activity times, and just to walk
through the building and observe the "every day routine".
With each visit you will notice more and get a better feel
for the quality of life offered.
- If you are told that it is a common industry problem
for an Assisted Living facility to be short staffed, that
it is difficult to find or keep workers, under no circumstances
should you lower your expectations for quality care. Do
not fall into the trap of sympathizing with overworked care
giving staff. Facilities can attract and keep good workers
by offering good working conditions, training, benefits
and competitive wages. It is the responsibility of the facility
managers to hire and retain enough qualified staff members
to provide the level of care promised. Understaffed facilities
equal poor care.
- If at any time you observe any staff member treat a resident
with disrespect or in a rough manner please report the incident
to the facility Director and be sure it is addressed.
- If at any time you hear staff members complaining about
how hard their jobs are, how unfairly they are treated,
what they have to put up with, how tired they are, or how
they can't wait to go home, choose another facility. There
are serious staffing issues, which will directly affect
quality of life for the residents.
- If at any time you hear a staff member complaining publicly
about an individual resident, report it to the facility
Director. All staff members should be required to follow
confidentiality guidelines. Problems with individual residents
should be addressed in staff meetings, not publicly.
- Scheduled activities on a published weekly or monthly
calendar may seem impressive, but they don't always take
place, and at times don't meet even minimal expectations.
One Assisted Living facility I evaluated scheduled three
different activities on three separate occasions, however,
residents were sitting in front of a television set each
time. These activities were still listed on the calendar
and had not been canceled or rescheduled. The staff had
no explanation. Be sure to observe activities in progress.
- If you will be using the facility Medication Management
service, it is critical that you determine what the procedure
is and how it is managed. How are prescription changes made
and how rapidly are they made? Who dispenses the medication
and what training have they had? Where are the medications
kept? Are they in a locked area? Is there a medication log
kept and signed each time a medication is given? Does the
staff member watch until the resident has actually ingested
the medication? Check this very carefully, some facilities
do a thorough job in this area, others are quite lax. I
have found my mother's medication under the cushions of
her chair and on the floor. Don't wait for an emergency
situation to discover the proper medication was not actually
ingested.
- Emergency procedures are critical. Ask to be walked through
the procedure in the event 911 needs to be called. It is
extremely important that medical information accompany each
resident to the hospital in the event of an emergency. Patients
in crisis are often unable to speak for themselves, they
may be confused, or they may give incorrect information.
Emergency Room personnel will be delayed in responding quickly
and appropriately without a list of medical conditions and
medications. If necessary, create your own packet of emergency
medical information and gain agreement from the facility
that this packet will be sent with the resident to the hospital
in case of an emergency (An example of a packet of medical
emergency information is in Section XVII of the Checklist).
- Every Senior Citizen is disrupted by a move to different
living quarters. Make this decision carefully, so another
move will not be required. Also be advised that it will
take at least six months to feel at home in new surroundings.
Keep your attitude positive and be patient.
This is only a small sampling of the information contained
in the Checklist for Selecting
an Assisted Living Facility.
HOW TO
BEST UTILIZE THE CHECKLIST
This checklist is designed for use as an assessment
tool for selecting an Assisted Living Facility for yourself
or for a loved one. The evaluation process is quite thorough.
However, your investment in time for conducting this analysis
will reap high rewards. All too often during an evaluation
process it becomes too easy to confuse what you have seen
in each of the facilities you have visited. This checklist
will help to minimize any confusion. A comprehensive assessment
process, such as this one, will help keep you focused on the
mission of finding the most appropriate facility to suit the
needs of your unique living style.
It is envisioned this checklist can be used
in one of three ways:
1. You could utilize this tool to personally
conduct an assessment of five different Assisted Living
Facilities.
2. You could assign several different relatives
to conduct evaluations and use this document to compare
the differences.
3. You could utilize an unbiased third
party to conduct this assessment. Identify the characteristics
that are most important to you or your family member and
let the unbiased third party do the rest. Then visit the
facility yourself to make certain you feel comfortable with
the analysis.
While many of the topics described herein may
be considered important for many people, all of them may not
apply to you or your family member. Some, obviously, will
be more important than others depending upon your likes and
dislikes, your interests, and your personal lifestyle. However,
all of these topics merit your consideration as you begin
to search for the best Assisted Living Facility. Included
in Section XIII of the Checklist is a table with 25 blank
spaces for you to add items that you consider to be of primary
importance in your selection process.
Satisfaction
Guaranteed -
100% Risk Free: Still not sure this
Checklist will help you select the best Assisted Living Facility
for yourself or a loved one? Well, I want you to feel completely
comfortable before you order.
Since I know from personal experience that the information
contained in this Checklist is so valuable, I will personally
guarantee your satisfaction!
The Checklist for Selecting
an Assisted Living Facility comes with a No-Questions-Asked,
No-Hassle, THREE MONTH MONEY BACK GUARANTEE.
If you honestly feel that if after using this Checklist that
it hasn't helped improve your knowledge, and hasn't saved
you time or money, then just return the Checklist (and all
copies) by mail anytime within the next 90 days and we will
refund the $39.95 you paid. Satisfaction
Guaranteed!
Quantity Discounts:
Volume pricing at substantially reduced discounts off the
retail price based on print quantities is available if you
are an Assisted Living Facility with multiple locations and
would like to use this checklist to conduct a self-assessment
of your facility, or are part on an organization that provides
goods or services to this industry and would like to use the
checklist as a marketing/business development tool. Additionally,
the opportunity to "brand" the Self-Assessment Checklist
with your company's cover page, letter of introduction, and
your logo is available in order that you may distribute the
checklist to potential clients.
OUTLINE
SELECTING AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY
I. Location of the Facility.
19 Considerations:
II. Facility Exterior.
28 Considerations:
III. Building Interior.
A. Lobby, Hallways, and Common Areas.
47 Considerations:
B. Dining Room.
13 Considerations:
C. Resident Rooms or Apartments.
23 Considerations:
D. Bathrooms.
12 Considerations:
E. Activity Rooms.
12 Considerations:
IV. Safety.
23 Considerations:
V. Staff.
38 Considerations:
VI. Wellness.
37 Considerations:
VII. Activities.
55 Considerations:
VIII. Food Services.
20 Considerations:
IX. Housekeeping.
10 Considerations:
X. Services.
15 Considerations:
XI. Policies.
41 Considerations:
XII. Helpful Hints and Questions to Ask.
41 Considerations:
XIII. Considerations Important to you.
25 Fill in the Blanks:
XIV. Alzheimer's/Dementia Unit.
45 Considerations:
XV. Taking Care of Your Most Valuable Asset
- Yourself.
25 Considerations:
XVI. Important Family Documents.
31 Items.
XVII. Sample - Medical Emergency Information
Packet.
XVIII. Description of Your Organization's Services.
XIX. Information on Jaguar Management Consulting
Group, Inc.
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