Steps to Take When Your Parents Need Senior Living & Common Senior Living Terms
Transitioning a parent to senior living care can be emotionally challenging and comes with a set of unique considerations. It's a journey that necessitates careful planning, understanding, and support. We will delve into the essential steps to take when the time comes to explore senior living options for your loved ones. Navigating this transition thoughtfully is crucial, as it not only impacts your parent but also the entire family. Understanding the challenges and emotions associated with this shift is the first step toward making informed decisions and ensuring a smooth and comfortable move.
Assessing the Need for Senior Living
The decision to move a parent to senior living care often stems from recognizing certain signs and evaluating their health, mobility, and daily living activities. It's essential to assess their needs accurately to determine the appropriate level of care. Their Primary Care Physician is a great resource to assist in determining appropriateness for senior living care.
Recognizing signs that could indicate your parents may require senior living care:
- Physical Health Decline: Noticeable deterioration in mobility, chronic health issues, or difficulty in performing daily tasks.
- Memory and Cognitive Issues: Signs of forgetfulness, confusion, or cognitive decline, which may require specialized care and monitoring.
- Social Isolation: Withdrawal from social activities, leading to loneliness and potential mental health concerns.
- Safety Concerns: Evidence of accidents or unsafe living conditions, such as tripping or falling, emphasizing the need for a safer environment.
- Household Neglect: A decline in managing personal hygiene or maintaining their living space, signaling a need for assistance.
By gaining a comprehensive understanding of your loved one's needs, you can confidently match them with an appropriate senior living option. For further assistance, take our 4-5 minute questionnaire to help determine if it’s the right time for senior living care for your loved one.
Researching Senior Living Options
The next step involves researching available senior living communities to determine the best fit for your parent's needs and preferences.
Exploring different types of senior living communities:
- Active Adult: Designed for middle-aged adults, usually 55+, wanting to live independently but still have access to amenities, community programs, and convenient services.
- Independent Living: Offers a more autonomous lifestyle for those who can manage daily activities independently.
- Assisted Living: Ideal for those who need help with daily activities but desire some independence. Find out how to find one near you.
- Memory Care: Suited for individuals with more complex medical needs and require 24/7 care. Learn more about memory care here.
Again, your loved one’s Primary Care Physician can give knowledgeable feedback and advice concerning the timing of senior living care.
Considering financial factors and evaluating affordability and payment options:
- Budget Assessment: Understanding your financial capabilities and considering the costs associated with different senior living options.
- Insurance Coverage: Investigating if any insurance policies or government programs can help cover the costs of senior living.
Touring Senior Living Options
Once a senior living care option is decided for your loved one, it’s important to schedule a tour and interview multiple communities and compare. Here are a few questions to ask:
What floor plans do you offer?
Are your residences furnished or unfurnished?
Can residents decorate and personalize their own spaces?
What is your pet policy?
What types of activities are available to residents, and how often do they occur?
Is there a written plan of care for each resident?
Do you have any payment assistance plans or financing assistance?
Can meals be tailored to a resident’s specific needs or special requests?
Are visitors allowed at any time, or are there specific visiting hours?
Are religious services provided onsite or available nearby?
Get to Know Common Senior Living Terms
Researching senior living options will open up a new world of terms and phrases that you may not be familiar with. Some of the terms below are not commonly offered in many senior living communities, and we’re proud to offer them at Remember Me Senior Care.
Below are commonly used terms:
Care Plans - A detailed, individualized document that outlines the specific care and support required by an individual in a healthcare setting. The purpose is to ensure that all aspects of a person's care needs are identified, documented, and addressed appropriately.
Power of Attorney - A legal document that grants an individual the authority to act on behalf of another person in legal, financial, healthcare, or other specified matters.
Living Will - Also known as an "advance healthcare directive" or "healthcare declaration," is a legal document that allows individuals to outline their preferences and instructions regarding medical treatment and healthcare decisions in case they become unable to communicate or make decisions about their medical care.
Locked-In Financing - The rent and pricing a resident pays is locked in when the lease is signed. The rate will not go up as time passes. At Remember Me, we are proud to offer Locked-In Financing, a unique offering for most memory care communities.
All-Inclusive Financing - Residents pay a flat monthly rate that includes everything the community offers to its residents. While the exact services included may vary, most all-inclusive rates cover rent, meals, utilities, housekeeping, laundry, personal care, community programming, transportation, etc.
Geofencing - This technology allows caregivers to set up a predefined location to get alerts if a wearer wanders outside of that zone when carrying or wearing the device. At Remember Me, we take the safety of our residents very seriously. We’re pleased to offer top-of-the-line security measures like geofencing and wearable technology.
Wearable Technology - This is a broad term that includes any electronic device or system worn on the body, either as an accessory such as a watch or embedded in clothing.
ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) - Basic self-care tasks and activities that individuals perform daily to maintain their physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. These activities are fundamental for an individual's independence and are essential for their overall functioning and quality of life. ADLs are often used as a measure of an individual's ability to live independently or determine the level of assistance they may need. They include personal hygiene, eating, and incontinence care.
Medication Management - Includes monitoring and reconciling medications so patients get the desired outcomes of medication.
Physical Therapy - Physical therapy focuses on large physical muscle movements. Seniors with poor balance and/or decreased strength often have physical therapy sessions.
Occupational Therapy - Occupational therapy focuses on fine motor movements and personal care tasks. Seniors who have arthritis or are recovering from a stroke are likely to work in occupational therapy as they learn new ways to complete daily tasks.
Speech Therapy - This can focus on any speech, language- or mouth-related concerns. Seniors who need assistance speaking, swallowing, or chewing food often work with a speech-language therapist.
Resident Assistant - Provides daily routine nursing care and services that support the care delivered to residents, particularly those living with dementia, in accordance with the established nursing care procedures and as directed by the supervisor. They are deeply involved in resident activities and programming and must understand and have a desire to continue to grow in dementia-specific caregiving.
CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) - Provides direct patient care and assistance with activities of daily living under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN).
LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) - Provides basic nursing care under the supervision of registered nurses (RNs) and other healthcare professionals.
If you’d like to talk to a professional regarding senior living care for your loved one, then contact us today. We’d love the opportunity to assist you in navigating options for your loved one. In the meantime, take a virtual tour of Remember Me Senior Care.