What To Look For When Helping Your Parent Choose An Assisted Living Facility
If you're in the process of helping your parent move from their current home into an assisted living facility, then it's important that you have a checklist of things to look for. The move is a big one, and it's important that you make sure that the facility has everything your parent needs before choosing a facility. Some prerequisites are essential for your parent's health, while others are important simply for convenience and to make your parent's golden years easier.
An Exercise Facility
You don't want your mom or dad to have to spend all day sitting around watching television or cooped up in their room. You want your parent to have access to some sort of exercise facility. Better yet, there should be a program at the assisted living facility where people can join a class and take aerobics, yoga, or something else that is a combination of both social engagement and physical activity. So, at the bare minimum, there should be a designated room for yoga, dance class, or some other exercise. It would be great if there were weights or even a pool for low impact cardio.
On Site Laundry And Housekeeping Services
Doing laundry and housekeeping can be tiresome for an elderly person. Many assisted living facilities have people on hand that will do laundry and light room cleaning. This is great because you might not want your parent to be down on their hands and knees scrubbing the kitchen floor, or the bathroom tile in their unit. So, make sure to ask the intake coordinator at the facility what services are available and if they will cost extra.
A Dining Room That Serves Three Meals
While your parent might like to occasionally cook meals for themselves, it's important that there be a dining room on site. This is not only important for the times when they don't feel like cooking, but it's also important for the times when they feel like being around other people. It's very important to anticipate any potential issue of isolation and deal with it before it becomes a problem that could lead to depression (a serious concern in the elderly).
Recreational Opportunities
Finally, it's also a good idea that the assisted living facility have a recreational program. This might entail trips to the ballpark, or theater, or it might be something as simple as a van ride to a local mall where the residents get to walk around and window shop. The important thing is that the residents have some way to get out and not feel like they are trapped in the facility.
For more information, visit facilities like Mayfair Village Retirement Community.
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