Practical Tips for Selecting the Right Elder Care Facility
Last week we wrote about the different types of elder care facilities and the types of amenities they typically offer. This week we’re going to discuss some practical tips you can use once you begin investigating facilities you’ve identified. These tips are designed to help you determine whether an elder care facility is right for you and your individual needs and preferences.
Appointment First, Unannounced Later
Start the process by making an appointment to tour individual facilities. Once you have done this you can then select a few that you like and then, later, show up unannounced for additional visits. It’s typically best to do this around mealtime.
Private Discussions
The residents of an elder care facility will often be a good source of information, so you should try to talk to them as much as possible. You should always do this without a staff member present so you can be sure you are speaking in private. However, you should also take criticisms or even recommendations with a grain of salt, as each person’s expectations and experiences will differ.
Review the Rental Contract
Before you commit to anything you should always carefully review the resident contract agreement. These can often be rather long, so you should ask to be able to take it home and review it. You should also take it to your estate planning attorney and ask him or her to review it to make sure there is nothing potentially problematic.
