Do any of you have suggestions for shopping for an assisted living facility?

[Ptah]

The area being considered is populated with a large number of facilities.
Aside from price and amenities, what should be considered?

Thanks in advance for any help.

:hi:

[elleng]

1. Compare personnel,

to the extent you can. That's at all levels. and due diligence about the corps themselves.

Learn about available for alzheimers patients, and how they deal with 'dementia.'

Best of luck.

[SeattleGirl]

2. Number one on the list for me would be the quality of care provided

by the staff, whatever level of care or assistance a person needs.

Is this for someone who is mostly self-sufficient, or someone who needs a lot of care? Either way, I would want to make sure that the staff was willing and able to provide what was needed.

One thing you might consider doing is going to the places, looking around, AND chatting with other family members who already have someone there. What is their impression of the place? Any complaints? What's good about it? Stuff like that.

[elleng]

3. Good idea, other family members.

.

[Ptah]

5. Thanks for the helpful suggestions.

Visiting and chatting sound like excellent ideas.

Still not sure of the level of care that will be needed,
he's recovering from an automobile accident.

:hug:

[elleng]

9. So will it be a temporary placement,

until he's recovered?

Mother went into a nursing home that has several 'wings,' one for 'temporary' people who need pedical care and physical and occupational rehab. This was in Florida. Such might be available to you, if that's what you really need.

[Ptah]

10. No, probably permanent. He's 89 and won't be driving anymore.

His girlfriend is now in a hospice.

[elleng]

11. So she won't be around for him, I guess.

Learn what you can about his injuries and the extent of rehab he'll need; these matters relevant as to placement.

AND how's the food!

[mcctatas]

4. I used to be the Director of a 24 bed CBRF for people with

Alzheimer and dementia, I would suggest inquiring about licensing/violation reports (they have to tell you when and the nature of any violations if asked), staff to resident ratios, call your LTC ombudsman and ask about complaints against any facility, things like that.

[Ptah]

6. Inquiring about licensing/violation reports is the kind of thing I wouldn't have considered.

I've checked BBB.

Is there a state agency that would track the licensing/violation reports.

Where might I find an LTC ombudsman?

Thanks for the help.

:hug:

[mcctatas]

7. Any assisted living facility should provide you with the contact info

for the Long Term Care ombudsman and depending upon your state, the licensing/violation info is tracked by an agency such as Dept. of Health and Family Services. However, the facility has to provide you with them if you ask.

hope that helps.

:hi:

[triguy46]

8. Re: Personnel

Determine how long the administrator and the nursing director have been there. I had my mom in 3 places during her last 18 months, each a higher level of care than the previous. The last was the best, a very tradtional 'nursing' home. but the admin and DON had each been at that facility for 20 years. She had excellent care. No complaints.

[Ptah]

15. Do you mean asking the people at aech place how long they've been there.

:shrug:

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

12. Get in touch with county government.

They should have a file on all of them and how good they are from the complaint perspective etc...

[Ptah]

14. Thanks. I found the county site, and I am clicking through it now.

http://www.pcoa.org/services.php

:hi:

[HEyHEY]

13. straps and LSD

[Ptah]

16. Such cutting, edgy humor. Almost Don Rickles kind of stuff.

[HEyHEY]

19. Oh shit, now I get it!

I assumed you meant there was one opening near you and you owned some kind of shop.

[PBS Poll-435]

17. Might check the local BBB.

:shrug:

[Ptah]

18. I have, and found not much info there.

Of the four being considered,
one had a BBB rating of Satisfactory,
one had a BBB rating of NO Rating.
The other two were not in the BBB database.

Thanks.

:hi:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

20. Staff to Patient ratio especially on 2nd and 3rd shifts. Especially,

look for Nursing Asst. to patient Ratio.

[Ptah]

21. Is this information they will give freely?

[Tuesday Afternoon]

23. I am not sure. Asst Living is not quite as bad as a "nursing home"

I am assuming this person is capable of doing a lot for theirself. What exactly is this person needing help with?

Honestly, Ptah...If it is a family member of mine it would be as a last resort.

Is this person in a wheelchair? Are they continent? Are they on a lot of meds? Have they fallen recently?

[Ptah]

24. It's my 89 yr old pop

He and his girlfriend were in a car wreck two weeks ago.
She passed away this morning.
His home is too far away from town so he won't be driving anymore.
He has a broken shoulderblade and his collapsed lung is recovering slowly.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

25. Ptah...I did not know. So sorry to hear this.

:hug:

[IdaBriggs]

22. The smell. Pay close attention to the smell of the place

because it will tell you A LOT about how often the folks staying there are having attention paid to them, especially if they have problems with bladder control, or automatically put on the same dirty clothes day after day.

Also pay attention to how easily you can walk in without being 'confronted' by someone who should be paying attention to the entrances. If you can walk in easily, so can someone who is going to a) rob the place, while conversely, b) someone with Alzheimer's can wander away.

Show up unannounced and count the folks working there. Strike up a casual conversation with the workers, be sympathetic, and say things like, 'you look tired -- been a long day?' which will tell you the kinds of shifts the workers put in, and also how long they stay. A place with high turnover probably doesn't do reference checks as diligently as they ought to, and that opens your relative up to petty thievery possibilities (not saying long term workers won't do it, but you get the idea).

And I come back to 'the smell' of the place (and the residents). You will be shocked at the level of care/compassion you will receive for the same money just by different management (which usually changes approximately every 6 months, so be prepared to switch places if you notice the quality of care declining, because odds are good it will happen).

Good luck!

[mnhtnbb]

26. Ask your father's physician where (s)he would put a parent. MD's who

have older patients are often familiar with the best facilities in the area.

[KittyWampus]

27. Where my Mom was, they had some really nice programs and activities for residents to stimulate them,

providing creative outlets and opportunities to interact with other residents.

I would not want a parent in a place that does not provide recreational activities.

Like:

Scrapbooking
Singing
Movie time
Word Games'
Bingo