Which senior living setting is best for me?

Which senior living setting is best for me?

Most of us prefer to spend our senior years in a setting that we are already living in and very few are open to the idea of living somewhere else unexpectedly.

Some older adults try to promise to themselves that they will “never be put in a home,” which is a difficult decision to face especially if their levels of needs are dramatically increasing.

The process of evaluating a senior living setting can be difficult but necessary. It is also practical to consider an individual’s future needs and whether it can be continuously provided at home.

Here are steps in choosing a senior living setting:

1.       Check your local options.

Check available options in your community regarding senior living settings such as:

·         Assisted living facilities

·         Skilled nursing facilities

·         Continuing care centers

·         Others senior living facilities

2.       Identify your needs.

Individuals have different needs which can be determined by how they live. The living options of seniors will be dictated by their needs since living options are not “one size fits all.”

3.       Look into each type of available facilities.

After identifying your local options for senior living settings, you will need to research further about these facilities.

There are traits of facilities that are commonly preferred by those who would stay in such facilities:

·         Low level of restriction.

A facility’s level of restriction determines an individual’s level of independence. An individual’s own home has the lowest restriction while a skilled nursing home can be considered as having the highest level of restriction.

·         Balanced with restriction and accommodation.

An ideal living setting is one that can accommodate an individual’s current and future needs while allowing as much independence as possible.

Some facilities focus only on one aspect and may cause the resident to become unhappy with the setting.

Some settings may have good accommodation but high restrictions that may cause an individual to lose the sense of independence.

Other settings may have low restrictions but incapable of accommodating the needs of an individual.

Identifying your needs will determine the appropriate type of senior living setting that is best for you. Once you know your needs, you will have to confirm what type of facility is available in your area.

Be sure to check each facility on whether they can or cannot accommodate your needs. Following these steps will help rid the stigma that most seniors are meant to end up in a nursing home.

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Sources: 

http://www.agingcare.com/Articles/evaluate-living-options-for-elderly-parents-95733.htm

http://www.completelongtermcare.com/facilities/