Is Assisted Living Right for You?
Assisted Living facilities can be a great living option and many older adults can thrive with a move. However, they may not always be the right choice for every situation.
We recently had a longtime client move to an assisted living to be closer to her son. We were providing 24/7 care and mom was doing really well. Mom was living in the home where she had raised her family. Her beloved dog loved the house and backyard. But, understandably, her son wanted her closer and was tired of the 90 minute drive 1-2 times a month. Guess what happened? Mom fell the first week she was in the assisted living facility. She was accustomed to having one on one care, as she is a huge fall risk. The facility encouraged her to get out of her room and engage in the activities. She did, and she had a fall right outside her room.
When contemplating a move, write down your goals for moving to an assisted living to manage your expectations.
What is it that you want the move to achieve? Is this realistic?
Write Down Your Goals for Moving
Potential Goals:
Easy access to activities and socialization
No more home maintenance to worry about
Meals and housekeeping
Medication management
Transportation
Immediate access to care 24/7
Fall prevention
No more crisis calls (for the adult child)
The above reasons are what I hear most from clients and their families when thinking about moving into an AL. Reasons 1-4 are great reasons to move into an AL but the others, not so much.
Transportation. Make sure you find out details about transportation. Do they have a car or van? Does it cost extra? How far in advance does it need to be scheduled? Is it unlimited usage? Is there a geographical radius? Can they accommodate a wheelchair? Will someone walk me into an appointment or just drop me off? How do I schedule a return ride after an appointment? Is it available on the weekends and in the evening? Exactly what times/days is it available? If I have cognitive impairment, do I need to have a companion with me?
Immediate access to care. This is an interesting concept and you need to understand and manage your expectations. You need to know what the expected wait time is after you push a call button. It can range from 5-30 minutes, and sometimes longer. You need to know the CARE staff to resident ratio during the day, during the night, weekdays and weekends. Because of what we all experienced during the last few years, you need to understand their current and future policies regarding COVID or any other pandemic or healthcare crisis. Do they have backup plans for staffing? What is their emergency plan?
Fall Prevention. You need to realize that if you are a fall risk at home, you are still a fall risk in an assisted living facility. Assisted living facilities cannot and do not claim to be able to prevent falls from happening. You need to know what their policy is regarding falls. Many ALs will require you to bring in your own caregiver or ask you to move to a higher level of care if you have too many falls.
Crisis Calls. It is stressful to be the one who is always called in a crisis. It is understandable to want to lessen these types of calls. You need to know what the AL’s policy is on falls, calling 911, going to the hospital, etc. Depending on their policy, you may still be called for many things. If you are local, it may be your responsibility to bring your parent home after a hospital visit. If you aren’t local, it may be your responsibility to find someone who can. You just need to ask.
Preparation and listing your goals for moving will help you make the best, safest and most realistic decision.