One of the wonderful aspects of care options for seniors is the variety that is available. For some, small residential Board and Care homes are a great fit due to the intimate size and higher ratio of caregivers to residents. For others, the larger Assisted Living communities are a more attractive choice due to the amount of onsite amenities and scheduled activities that are available. For those who have never embarked on a mission to find the right care choice for their loved one, what lies beyond the doors of an Assisted Living community can be a mystery. Other articles have discussed what to expect from a residential Board & Care home and what to expect as far as pricing for placement in general, but this article is specifically going to reveal what can be expected when touring an Assisted Living property.
For one, these larger campuses are easier to identify within your neighborhood. Most have signs identifying them as senior care communities along with their name. Assisted Living communities typically have lobbies with a reception desk that can be likened to a hotel. Communities may be multi-story, and the number of rooms available will vary from place to place. In some buildings, apartments are all the same, but in others there are various floor plans available. The most common floor plans are studios and one-bedrooms. Some properties offer two-bedrooms or various styles of companion suites wherein a resident might share a bedroom and bathroom with another resident, or have their own bedroom but may share a bathroom and/or a common living room with someone. Aside from the private living quarters, onsite amenities can include a restaurant style dining room, a media center, a gymnasium, a beauty shop, a theater, various lounge areas, a pharmacy, a medication room, and/or outside walking paths or patio areas.
Assisted Living communities offer scheduled activities, and a calendar of events for the month will likely be posted throughout the building. Activities will range from exercise programs to art classes to various games to outings.
Assisted Living communities are not all the same. In fact, the services or types of care that are offered can vary greatly from place to place. A combination of independent living, assisted living, memory care, or skilled nursing may be offered. Some communities only offer memory care. These communities provide focused care programs for persons with a cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s disease. These communities are secured with locked doors and gated patio areas to ensure the safety and security of residents who might have a tendency to wander or flee, a common symptom associated with various dementias.
For more information on communities in your area, please contact Care Placement. One of our expert Placement Specialists will happily answer your questions about Assisted Living services and rates.