Thinking about moving into an assisted living facility, or moving a loved one into a home, is a big decision. A lot of seniors don't like the idea of giving up their independence, which is totally understandable! However, as a person ages, they'll start seeing more and more challenges in their lives. Once living on their own becomes too difficult, it just makes sense to look into assisted living facilities.
A great assisted living facility has to maintain a difficult balance. On one hand, they are tasked with caring for each of their residents, ensuring they remain safe and healthy. On the other hand, they still need to allow their residents as much personal freedom - and personal dignity - as possible, so that life in the facility is still fulfilling and enjoyable.
How do they do this? There are three core principles that any good assisted living community should follow.
1 - Person-Centered Care
The care provided in an assisted living facility should never be "one size fits all." A great assisted living home will provide care which is specifically tailored to the needs of yourself or your loved one. That means understanding the exact needs of each of their individual residents, and tailoring a care package that meets those needs - but without becoming too intrusive or burdensome.
This also extends to available activities. Many seniors can benefit from jogging, for example, although some may have physical issues that mean jogging could be harmful. The home should know what each resident is and is not able to do and try to emphasize what they can do whenever possible.
2 - Strict ethical standards for caregivers
Integrity and ethics are absolute must-haves in an assisted living facility. Because the facility managers and caregivers will have so much control over their residents' lives, you have to know they can be trusted with that responsibility.
When looking at homes, it's best to do as much research as you can into reviews, testimonials, and other reports about life at the home. Do these testimonials match up to the values and policies that the home claims to uphold? Look for communities that truly "walk the walk" when promoting their values.
3 - A dedication to improvement
Best practices in senior care and assisted living are constantly evolving, as doctors and researchers look for better ways for older people to live. A great assisted living community will invest significantly in training and re-training its staff, while also updating the facility itself with the latest in safety and security features.
Ask them questions about how often they re-train the staff, or the last time they installed new features around the grounds. Look for a home that is dedicated to improving itself as much as possible, and constantly improving the lives of their residents.
Finding a great assisted living facility can be difficult, but with a little research, you can absolutely find a perfect new home!
David's first book-Self Improvement: The Top 101 Experts Who Help Us Improve Our Lives-has been praised by leading industry experts as the "Encyclopedia of Self Improvement." That book's success motivated him to continue publishing books which seek to improve the lives of others.