You have done all the research on every possible assisted living facility that might be a good fit for your loved one and have narrowed down the options. It is important to know that you can only “see” so much online without going to the actual facility to tour it. The tour will help you realize whether it will work for your aging loved one or doesn’t have required amenities that they need.
It is important to know that before you take a tour, preparing is essential to finding the best fit for your loved one. One big point of preparation is getting to the mindset that you cannot be afraid to ask questions (even if you think they might be silly). Putting yourself into a mental state that will free you to ask whatever questions you might have is important to discovering every detail during an assisted living tour.
Another point of preparation is creating a set of questions around the categories you deem important like:
- Type and Level of Care
- Assisted Living Staff
- Food
- Amenities
- Social Programs and Hobbies
You can then create sets of questions around each one. An example might be finding out what their staff to residence ratio is. You can also see how many meals are served and if there are snack options. Formulating these questions will also help you realize the deal breakers you have and what your loved one might be more flexible on.
You should also find out if there is any kind of wait list or what the availability is of the facility you are about to tour. If your loved one is in urgent need of a higher level of care, don’t waste their time by touring a facility that might not be available for another six months.
Finally, don’t disregard your feelings. One of the biggest things that Senior Living Specialists have found is that families often get a feeling on whether a place will work for their loved one during the tour. It can be the friendliness of the staff, cleanliness, or general layout but if you have a better feeling about one, listen to those feelings.