With advancements in technology, better regulated standards for retirement
home care and facilities, and modernized options, we now have better access
to the retirement home facilities, treatment, and services. And with advice
from knowledgeable professionals, we also have available to us information we
might not have had in the past.
So with the kind of information compiled and provided by experts such as the
Council of Community Care Ombudsmen, Claire Absher, RN,BSN, and other personal
care professionals and volunteers, we have a guide for finding and choosing
a quality retirement home:
WHO TO INVOLVE
It is ideally best to engage the person who will be living there (if that’s
not you), as well as his/her family members and friends, and that way together
you all can find a retirement home facility that is local, accessible and accommodating
to frequent visitors, to facilitate friends and family who will be visiting
often.
WHO TO ASK
An area ombudsman (volunteer) can help you retrieve a list of personal home
care facilities in your area, a list you should use to contact the homes and
do a preliminary and informal interview.
WHAT TO ASK
Ask about
Costs
Services
Accreditation/skills
Regulations/policies
Anything else of concern
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Look for a retirement home that has attentive, vigilant, 24-hour-a-day assistance,
thoughtful and nurturing activities, and provisions for healthy foods that are
prepared and served by equally knowledgeable and attentive staff. So if
during your first call you get a good feeling, make an appointment to visit
and tour the personal home care site, looking for the existence of the following
(listed here in alphabetical order):
Healthy Activity—Ask for a copy of (or at least a look at) the monthly
activity calendar: are there sufficient physical, mental, social, community,
and religious options available each week? There should be.
Hygiene—Is the facility dirt and dust free? Are the grounds clear
of debris? Are the kitchens, bathrooms, and private rooms free of odors?
Licensing—Because all retirement home facilities must be licensed by the
DHR (Department of Human Resources), look for the valid permit—which by
law must be posted in a public place. Also ask how many residents are
at the home, and check this number against the limit capacity number on the
permit.
Meals—Typically, if you make an appointment around mealtime, you can either
join as a guest or at least observe the process: what are the qualifications
of the food specialist—is he/she a nutritionist? Does the facility
kitchen follow the menu published? Are food restrictions and special diets
taken seriously? In other words, are a variety of foods available and/or
substitutions possible?
Medications—Do the medical staff keep medications locked up (they should)?
What are the policies for getting and filling/refilling meds?
Overall care and attention—are the staff and professionals attentive,
respectful, and positive? Do the residents appear happy, healthy, engaged?
Is the place clean? Is it well tended to (the grounds, rooms, bathrooms)?
Are the community/general areas pleasantly decorated with flowers, paintings,
pictures, or seasonal/holiday décor?
Safety—Are the requisite fire extinguishers, fire detectors, and emergency
exit postings within site and/or reach? Is there a visible/readable emergency
evacuation plan posted? In the private rooms and private and public bathrooms,
are there safety call boxes/intercoms and appropriately placed grab bars?
Are stairs, halls, and elevators well lit and free of obstacles? And are
the staff trained and equipped to attend to the residents during emergencies?
Where applicable, have they been certified in CPR and other related rescue methods?
BEFORE YOU LEAVE TO MAKE YOUR FINAL DECISION
And finally, just as importantly, before you leave, chat with a few of the residents
to make sure that everyone gets the dignity, respect, and privacy they deserve
and have rights to. Retirement homes should, after all, be as close to
the kind of home the retired person is used to, one which is conducive to a
physically, emotionally, intellectually/ mentally, and spiritually safe and
satisfying long life.
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