Important Questions To Ask When Taking An Assisted Living Community Tour

Finding the perfect assisted living facility for your loved ones is an important decision you have to make at some point. This process of finding the perfect assisted living community for your loved one can be quite overwhelming.  After all, everyone wants a place that goes beyond the basic care needs to better support the loved one and make them feel at home.

While on community tours, you’ll want to absorb as much information about the place as possible so that you’re well prepared when the time comes for you to make the choice for your loved one.

Here are some of the questions that will help you get started:

Staff

• Are the staff members professionally trained? What type of training have they gone through?
• What has been the staff turnover rate?
• Do they have the policy to report suspected abuse?
• What is the ratio of residents to staff?
• Do the staff members speak your native language fluently?
• Are there any registered nurses, certified nursing assistants, or licensed vocational nurses on staff?
• How thoroughly are background checks performed on staff members?
• Are there staff members available to provide 24-hour assistance with ‘activities of daily living’ like bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting?

Food

• How many meals will be provided per day?
• Will be food be packaged or freshly prepared on a daily basis?
• Do they focus on using organic ingredients?
• How often do they change the menu? Does food vary on a daily basis?
• Do they provide snacks? If yes, how will the residents get access to snacks?
• Are there timelines for meals or are they provided at the times preferred by the resident?
• Can guests and visiting family members dine with the residents? If yes, will they be charged for it?
• Do they prepare special food items for special occasions like holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries?
• Do they allow you to sample the food?

Resident Living Spaces

• Will the resident be having the option to choose between a private room and a shared room?
• Can the residents decorate and personalize their own living space?
• Are furnishings provided? What sort of furniture is provided?
• Will the rooms come equipped with 24-hour emergency response systems?
• Do the bathrooms come designed to accommodate walkers and wheelchairs?
• Is internet/Wi-Fi, cable included in the rooms? If there is a fee, how will be the billing handled?
• Is the kitchen provided with sink, refrigerator, and cooking element? Are the residents allowed to keep food in the apartments?

Common Spaces

• Are there any outdoor spaces available to the residents?
• Do they allow smoking? If so, where?
• Do they have any special services or amenities like fitness rooms, beauty parlors, therapy pool and more?
• Do they provide shared community animals like dogs, cats, fishes, and birds?
• Is there a place for residents where you can do their arts and crafts, gardening, or other hobbies?

Health and Medication

• What is the medication management policy of the assisted living facility?
• Do they allow self-administration of medication?
• Does the facility provide someone on staff that coordinates home healthcare visits from the physical therapists, nurses, etc.?
• Are services like physical therapy and hospice available? If yes, will there be an additional charge?
• Do they have a clearly-stated procedure for responding to the resident’s medical emergencies?
• Is there transportation provided to residents for doctor’s appointments? Will be transportation be wheelchair/disabled-friendly? Will they charge a fee? If yes, how much?
• Is a written plan of care provided for each resident? How often would it be reviewed and updated?
• Are any incontinence supplies included in the price? Will they come at a fee?
• Will the community have a process to assess the resident’s need for services? Will this process include their family and the resident’s physician?

Activities

• Do they have a certified Activity Professional to ensure the activities are safe and engaging?
• What kinds of activities are available to the residents and how often do these activities occur?
• Do they post a schedule of events and activities?
• How often do the residents interact with their surrounding community? Do volunteers come into the community or do the residents go on regular outings?
• Are the residents encouraged to actively participate in activities?
• Does the community provide any live entertainment? If yes, how often, and what kind?

Holidays

• Are the residents allowed to have guests overnight? If yes, what is their overnight guest policy?
• Do they offer barber and beauty services?
• Is there any parking space available for residents and guests?
• Do they have an official policy on sexual interactions between residents?
• Are the residents needed to have a renter’s insurance?
• Are there any religious services available onsite or nearby?

We are Heidi’s Haven, a reliable assisted living facility that provides the best possible care to the seniors in Leesburg, FL. To know more about our services, visit our official website or contact us at 352-787-3034.