The first things to look for in an assisted living facility are
cleanliness and an attentive, caring staff.
Is
the home clean?
First impressions are crucial.
Have you noticed an
offensive odor about the place that makes you want to run? If
so, then there may be good reason to do exactly that. Accidents
happen all the time, but as you walk in the door of a facility,
you should not have to be confronted with them; if there
was an accident, why
has nobody
addressed it? When touring a facility, ask to use the public
bathroom; this is
a great way to see how their staff keeps up with the constant
flow of traffic during the day. Ask to look at the kitchen
and dining
areas.
In
between meals, are the floors swept or vacuumed? Are the tables
clean? Are the salt and pepper shakers filled? Treat it as
if you are reviewing a restaurant.
Are the grounds
well
maintained? Are the carpets and furniture in good condition?
Very simply, I look for a place
where I would feel comfortable having my parents live.
Are
the staff members friendly and kind? Is there laughter
and interaction
between staff and their residents? Are
residents being addressed by name? Are little inside jokes
being made
between the staff and the residents? Can you sense a
feeling of family, or do
the staff members feel to you to be just "employees?"
Is the administration playing an active part in the community,
or are they locked behind closed
doors and in meetings? I realize that administrative staff
has a demanding, busy schedule, but they
must be on the floor to see how their building is being run and
to maintain personal relationships with their residents.
