We understand that your loved one deserves the best, and that is exactly what we strive to provide each and every day at Argent Court. We know that you can’t just choose any assisted living facility and expect to get the best treatment for your loved one. This is an important life decision for your family. So, you should treat it like other major decisions in your life in which you research, find answers, and weigh your options carefully – you must look at all of your senior care options and see which one is going to best meet your loved one’s needs. As a caregiver, your loved one’s health, safety, and happiness are all key factors in this equation. So, whether you are just starting to gather information about assisted living communities or you need to move quickly, you will still need to do thorough research to ensure your loved one will be in good hands.
Moving a loved one into an assisted living facility can be overwhelming, but at Argent Court, we completely understand this is a crucial, life-changing decision. Clearly, this type of decision is never an easy one, but there will come a time when you begin to understand that this is the best possible move that you can make for your loved one, mentally, physically, and emotionally.
There are many steps to consider when immersing yourself in the process of finding the best assisted living facility near you, but at some point, you are going to have to visit and tour the facilities you feel are the best fit, and in order to make an educated decision, you will want to ask plenty of questions.
So, what is going to be the deciding factor for your family? Let us share some valuable insight before you embark upon your journey. Before you begin touring facilities, either in person or virtually, it’s a great idea to make a list of questions that you want to ensure you get answers to, so you don’t overlook any critical factors when it comes to the health and happiness of your loved one. So, what kinds of questions should be topping your list? Let’s explore some options that you may want to jot down before your next tour or virtual visit.
What About My Loved One’s Specific Health Needs or Requirements?
No two people are the same, so everyone residing in a senior living facility will need to have a different level of support and different types of care. For example, if you need memory care for a loved one who is facing Alzheimer’s or dementia, you may want to inquire about the level of services and amenities provided to residents.
If your loved one is overweight, you may want to ask if the facility has specialized equipment and experience to deal with those specific cases. If your loved one has a specific or rare disease that requires additional care or supervision, it’s important to ask if they’ve ever taken care of someone with that illness.
Never feel like you are imposing when it comes to the care of your loved one. At Argent Court, we believe you can never ask too many questions when it comes to your loved one’s health and wellness.
What Kinds of Activities Do You Offer?
One of the most important questions you can ask is about the number of, and quality of, activities that a senior living community has to offer. Bodies and minds in motion tend to stay in motion, and that means there needs to be various activities on the calendar every single day to keep your loved one’s mind and body active.
But it isn’t enough to just have activities – these activities need to be things that you know your loved one will want to participate in, such as crafts, sports, games, movies, trips, challenges, and more, including programs that encourage socialization and the building of friendships. If possible, ask to take a peek in on some of the activities going on while you’re there, so you can see how many people actually attend these activities. Attendance will often give you valuable insight into the quality and popularity of the activities offered. If the community is not allowing additional visitors presently, perhaps you can attend some events virtually as well.
Another thing to ask about is whether or not there are activities that family members can attend. These are often larger scale activities that allow you to visit your loved one and get a feel for what is going on while you aren’t there. Being able and welcome to participate in activities with your loved one should be on your radar when it comes to key questions to ask while touring. If you cannot attend tours or visits in person, you may want to ask about virtual visitations and see if you can get information that way. At Argent Court, we understand that you want to feel as connected as possible to your loved one while still ensuring their health and safety.
What About the Food?
In addition to socialization and ensuring a healthy, well-balanced diet, food is also a creature of comfort for so many people, especially as we age, so be sure to ask about the meals your loved one will be served, and try to determine if the menu is really suited to what they actually like. Will your loved one be able to order from a limited menu, or are they just served what everyone else receives? This becomes especially important if you have a loved one who doesn’t eat certain things, is a vegetarian, or is used to a specific type of cuisine.
Of course, you will also want to check in on how they track allergies, weight loss or gain, and any sugar tracking they need to do for seniors with diabetes. Food choice and quality is something that affects your loved one’s daily life, so this is definitely something to inquire about. You may also want to ask about how the menus are created (Is there a dietician on staff?), how often they rotate, and maybe even about special celebrations and holiday menus.
What About Other Creature Comforts?
You don’t want your loved one to just survive, do you? No, you want them to live and thrive! You want to show up on a Saturday morning and see them laughing, enjoying life, and having fun with friends or call only to discover that they’re having a great time socializing or enjoying an activity. You want your mother or grandmother to show up to Sunday church services with her hair done like she used to – so ask about the offerings and services you know are important to your loved one. Do they have a salon, so she can get her hair done? Are there off-site visits to the local sports arenas? Do they go to the movies? What about music or dancing? Are they a pet friendly community?
Think about quality of life and what made your loved one’s life full when they were living independently to ensure that they can continue to live their best life at their new senior living home.
Who is the Main Point of Contact?
Like we said, this is a monumental, life-changing decision that you must put your whole mind, heart, and soul into. So, chances are that you are going to be overwhelmed with the amount of information thrown at you during your visit. While you are there, you are going to forget some of the questions that you had – and that’s completely okay. It happens to everyone! But with this in mind, be sure to ask for the contact card of someone who you can reach out to when you remember your questions or as you try to narrow down your list of best possible options.
Want to Visit an Assisted Living Facility? Contact Us Today
Make your list – check it twice – and then come see us! As you start your hunt for an assisted living community for your loved one, be sure to give Argent Court a long look. Our team works passionately to provide safe, loving, and stimulating environments for our seniors who can no longer live independently but still want to live life to the fullest. We provide them with stable relationships, stimulating activities, good nutrition, and professional care to ensure that they can live their golden years in happiness and good health. At Argent Court, every question is a great question!
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