There are roughly 30,000 senior living facilities in the country, each providing different types of care.

When you decide to check yourself or a loved one into an assisted living facility, there’s a lot to think about. Making the right decision comes down to knowing what you need and doing enough research to understand what different options offer.

It’s not just about the facility, however. Choosing the right senior living assistance is just as important. If you don’t sign up for the right level of care, you may not get everything you could out of the senior living situation.

In today’s post, we’ll provide a comprehensive guide on choosing a senior living community and level of assistance. Keep reading to get the senior living support you require.

Know What You Need and Senior Living Levels of Care

It all starts with knowing exactly what type of care you or your loved one needs. Different types of senior living communities exist, from independent senior living to comprehensive memory care.

Knowing your loved one’s day-to-day needs will help you determine which course to take. Independent living is great for active and maintenance-free seniors.

Assisted living is better suited for those who need help with daily activities. Skilled nursing services help seniors with serious medical requirements, such as those with chronic illnesses or recovering from surgery.

Memory care is a specialized form of senior living that involves more intensive care for those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. These services provide experienced staff, a secure facility, and programs that help residents cope with the fluidity of their conditions.

Think About Senior Living Location

Proximity to family is an important factor to consider when choosing the right senior living assistance. If your loved one is in a facility hours away from where you live, it’ll be hard to reach them in an emergency. Even regular visits will become a chore if they’re too far away.

Choose a community that’s convenient for everyone so that your loved one’s family can be nearby for visits. Think about the area around the facility, too. It’s better to choose something in a nice part of Georgia where your loved one can enjoy the scenery.

Taking Cost Into Account

It’s unfortunate to have to think about budgeting when entering or putting someone into an assisted living facility, but that’s the reality. Some communities charge an arm and a leg for their services.

Don’t stretch yourself thin when you don’t have to. Plenty of affordable assisted living facilities all over the state can offer everything you or a loved one will ever need.

Start by creating a realistic budget for assisted living, then contact a few different facilities to get quotes. Choose the one that strikes the right balance between affordability and quality.

Check Out Reviews

So, how do you get a sense of the quality of an assisted living facility?

Believe it or not, the best thing you can do initially is look at online reviews. No one can tell you more about a senior living community’s service than a current or former resident’s loved ones.

Choose a few of the top-rated options, then start reading the reviews. You can glean a lot from these, especially the negative ones. Look for any red flags that might give you pause about putting yourself or a loved one into a facility.

Dining and Amenities

When you narrow down your search to a few of the best senior living communities, start performing more in-depth research. Look at the community’s amenities and dining options.

Both of these things are essential for establishing a good quality of life in the community. As for dining options, there should be an in-house cafe/restaurant serving residents a wide range of nutritious and delicious meals daily.

Nutrition is essential when you’re an aging adult. Eating a balanced diet can help minimize the risk of various illnesses, from diabetes to heart disease and even cancer.

When it comes to senior living amenities, it all depends on what you value. Some communities are equipped with an exercise facility, while others might have a games room. Having amenities shows that a community is dedicated to providing residents with everything they want or need.

Programs and Events

Providing the proper senior living support through professional care and amenities is crucial. It’s also important that your loved one has an active social life. A good assisted living community will have programs and regularly scheduled events to entertain residents.

An active social life is another overlooked aspect of senior health. Those who socialize regularly tend to have lower blood pressure, lower risk of isolation, and better mental health.

Tour the Facility

Before you decide to check yourself or a loved one into a senior care facility, always take a tour. You can only glean so much from reading and looking at photos of the facility online.

A tour will allow you to see the apartments and their amenities, as well as the facility’s amenities. You’ll also meet the senior living staff and ask any questions you may have about how things are run. Most importantly, you’ll have a chance to see first-hand how residents are living in the facility.

Healthcare

It’s important to gain an understanding of how healthcare factors affect senior living. Good senior living facilities will have physicians and nurses around for regularly scheduled visits.

Every resident will have different medical needs, so it’s important that your health isn’t neglected. When you check into a facility, they should obtain all of the details they need about your health. This should help them create a healthcare schedule that meets your needs.