Article by SeniorLiving.org
“A simple guide to help you choose the best retirement home for you or your loved ones.
We all want the best retirement home for our loved ones or for ourselves in the future and deciding on the good assisted living facility can be quite distressing. There are many facilities to choose from but it’s hard to know what fit your needs. So here are some basic tips in choosing a good assisted living facility.
TIP #1. Know what level of care you or your loved one needs and what the facility offers.
There are three levels of care that retirement homes offer. Skilled nursing is for seniors who needs nursing assistance 24 hours a day. Homes usually provide them with a separate room, with or without a roommate.
Assisted living are for seniors who can do a lot of things for themselves but would be needing help in some daily activities like cooking, bathing, or taking up medications. Residents who are under this type of care are provided with a private room or apartment, meals are brought to them and a nursing assistant or staff check them up daily.
Seniors who can do daily activities by themselves but want the ease of having someone do some of their activities for them, like cleaning or cooking, falls under the independent living. Retirement homes provide them with their own apartment or condo.
TIP #2. Verify if the facility you are considering follows the rules and regulations set for retirement homes
In choosing a good assisted living facility, safety, and quality of the facility is a basic factor to consider. Visit www.medicare.gov to check if the retirement homes on your list operate according to the rules and regulations set by the Nursing Home Act (?).
Your state licensing agency and Better Business Bureau should also be contacted to gather more information.”