Going into assisted or independent senior living is a difficult decision for a lot of people. Most people love the comfort of their homes and don’t always feel comfortable living with a group of strangers. This is why you need to first make sure that the living conditions in the facility you are considering are at least as good as what you have back home. But there are plenty of other things you need to look for when picking a facility to make sure that you are safe, enjoy yourself, and don’t feel cheated. Let’s take a look at a few signs of a great senior living facility.
A Wide Variety of Services
If you were looking to live in a medium to large senior living facility, you should expect them to provide a large number of services. It is a good sign when a facility can follow you at every stage of your senior life. Go for a facility that offers everything from assisted living to memory care even if you or your loved one doesn’t need it yet. This way, they won’t have to be moved to an unfamiliar place when they’re the most vulnerable. This senior living facility, for instance, offers independent living, assisted living, and a variety of other services, so this would be a great facility to put on your list.
High-Level Security and Access
You should also go for a facility that offers top-of-the-line security and access. We’re talking about clearly marked access ramps, automatic doors, lifts, etc. Every area should be well lit and well-maintained too.
You should also see CCTV cameras pretty much everywhere and this is not something that should be viewed as excessive. Especially if this is for someone who’s suffering from cognitive decline. These CCTV cameras are not about keeping intruders away as much as they are about keeping tabs on residents and making sure that none of them get lost. So, if this is for someone else and you want to be able to sleep well at night, this is the kind of thing you should be looking for.
Good Food Service
You must examine the food service for any facility before you sign up for anything. This will be a major part of the resident’s life and bad food service could ruin their experience.
When visiting facilities, you need to ask if you can see the kitchen. If they refuse, then it should be a red flag right there.
If you can see it, look at the general cleanliness and check if there are any foods left exposed or in strange places. Ask if you can check the freezer and refrigerator to see if you can find any anomalies or weird smells. Next, ask if you can attend a food service if it’s served in a common area. Many facilities will allow you to do this for a fee and this will give you an idea of not only how good the food is, but what the general atmosphere is at that facility as well.
These are all things that should confirm to you that you’re picking a good senior living facility. We suggest that you visit a handful of them as soon as possible and ask as many questions as you can until you find the perfect match.