San Luis Obispo Assisted Living Expert Offers Tips on How to Chose the Right Place for Loved Ones
San Luis Obispo, CA (PRWEB) July 21, 2013 -- What's the right approach in selecting a local assisted living facility? When parents get older and their children and loved ones look for the right place, how should they look?
Jane Lefebre, a San Luis Obispo assisted living facility expert at the Manse on Marsh in downtown, highlighted a few things to look for and how to determine if the facility fits the needs of your loved one.
Here are some pointers on what to do if you have been put into the tough situation of selecting an assisted living facility for a loved one. With so many options out there, you want to make sure you find the right place. Follow this check list from Lefebre:
Environment
The facility you choose will be permanent residence for your loved one, so you should look to the environment of the facility. When you walk in the front door, do you get a warm feeling? Do the residents and staff seem happy? What does it look like? Do you feel like your invited and could you see yourself spending time there?
Safety
A place for retired folks to enjoy their days should not only be a warm and inviting place, but also a safe one. With many residents needing special care, look to the ratio of nurses to patients. A premium facility will have about eight patients to one nurse. You also want to look at the overall number of staff. This will give you a peace of mind knowing your loved one has someone there to help them and won’t be tied down with another patient. If an emergency does happen you also want know about response times, the industry average is around seven to eight minutes, with topnotch facilities in the one to three minute range. Finally, look to a quick response alert system.
Security
Make sure to choose a facility with 24/7 video surveillance. Also make sure there is a check in program that ensures that all people on site have been checked in and are accounted for. This alleviates the worry of someone sneaking on to the premises.
Support
Your loved one is in an assisted living facility for support, so make sure your selection fits their needs. Look to lay out of the facility, how easy can they move around. Are there elevators for multiple level facilities, how many stairs are there in case of an emergency. You also want to look for a registered nurse on staff, they have received a higher level of education and can help with larger issues.
Activities
Being in an assisted living facility needs to be an exciting and enriching experience. Look to a facility with both on site and off site activities. As your love one ages, being active and energetic becomes more and more valuable. Top notch facilities will offer on site yoga, movies, tea and other social gatherings to help everyone get to know each other. Also look for outside activities such as shopping trips, scenic drives, trips to the park and other inviting areas. You want your loved one to be social and active for both their mental and physical health, so make sure your assisted living facility encourages this.
Last and not least, look for a place you feel comfortable with. You loved one will be living there and you have to think, is this a place where I could live in my older years. Using the tips above will help guide you in the tough decision of finding an assisted living facility, but if you follow these tips you can sleep soundly knowing your loved one is in good hands.
The Manse On Marsh
475 Marsh Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 541-4222
Scott Brennan, Access Publishing, http://accesspublishing.com, (805) 226-9890, [email protected]
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