According to the South Carolina Department on Aging, our senior population is expected to double in the next 25 years.
The need for quality assisted living options is obvious. If a loved one is struggling to maintain their former lifestyle, getting them the help they need is the priority. Age-related health issues can be confusing and overwhelming, so you’ll want to find a community that eases these feelings and maximizes your loved one’s quality of life.
In today’s post, we’ll help you find the perfect assisted living in Summerville SC by telling you the 9 essential factors you must consider. Comparing senior communities can feel like a daunting task, but keep reading and you’ll have the criteria to quickly find the best options in Summerville.
1. Does It Meet Your Needs?
Before you begin your search, you should perform an elder care needs assessment. If your loved one is healthy but wants to downsize their living situation, they’ll simply look for an independent living community.
It’s when they’re dealing with age-related health and mobility problems that assisted living comes in. These communities have staff available 24/7 to help residents with bathing, getting dressed, taking meds, etc.
There are also assisted living communities with memory care. This is a specialized form of care specifically geared toward helping those with Alzheimer’s. Staff are highly trained to handle the complexities of Alzheimer’s/dementia symptoms to give your loved one a high quality of life.
2. Reputation
Use Google to start your search for assisted living communities. From here, you can get a sense of how communities are viewed by people who have experience with them.
Ratings and reviews can help you glean important information about the quality of care and how well-maintained a community is. If there are any red flags about a particular community, you’ll find out from the reviews. You can then eliminate these communities from contention so your loved one isn’t getting subpar care.
3. Location
Location is an important factor for a few reasons. Firstly, if your loved one is adventurous and wants to be near local amenities – shops, restaurants, parks, etc. – they’ll want something centrally located.
It’s important to understand that this often comes at a price. Communities situated in bustling population centers cost more simply because the real estate is more. If your loved one is on a budget and/or doesn’t mind about local amenities, you can save money by choosing a different community.
Community location is also important during the transition phase. The more accessible the community is to friends and family, the more frequently your loved one will have visitors. This is important throughout their stay, but especially during the transition when they’re undergoing so much change.
4. Room Sizes
When you’re touring assisted living communities, always pay close attention to the apartments. Good communities will offer a variety of floor plans to accommodate different needs and budgets.
At TerraBella Summerville, we offer our residents a choice between two assisted living and two simplified memory care floor plans. All of them are equipped with comfortable beds and lounge areas, as well as safety features to lower any risk of injury.
5. Amenities on Offer
A community should offer plenty of amenities to keep residents entertained. A lot of the time, the amenities one community provides will set it apart from the rest. It depends on your loved one’s interests.
If they enjoy being outside and fitness, they’ll choose a community with a pool and gardens. When they’re more of a homebody, they might prefer one with an entertainment room and lounge area.
When you’re touring the communities, pay attention to the state the amenities are in. You don’t want to choose a community that doesn’t maintain its common spaces.
6. Health and Fitness
Every community worth its salt will have a calendar of daily activities for residents. Take a close look at what these entail and you’ll be able to deduce the community’s attitude toward fitness.
Seniors need to stay active to avoid injury, weight gain, and heart issues, among other things. There should be plenty of activities each day that urge them to move around and achieve their health goals.
7. Social Activities
At the same time, activities should help boost socialization among residents. A major concern in our senior population is the prevalence of social isolation, which affects 34% of people between 50-80.
Social interaction between peers is the best way to avoid feelings of isolation. The daily activity calendar should include social events and activities that allow residents to make meaningful connections with one another.
8. In-House Dining
Another side of senior health has to do with nutrition. Your loved one needs a balanced and nutritious diet in concert with a solid fitness regimen. As we age, however, it becomes more and more difficult to stay motivated to cook healthy meals.
Fortunately, many assisted living communities have in-house restaurants that take care of all of the residents’ meals. Take a look at and even sample the restaurant’s menu to determine if it meets your loved one’s dietary needs.
9. Safety Measures
Lastly, you should always assess a community’s safety and security measures before moving your loved one into it. A safe community will have plenty of staff working at any given time to assist residents as needed. They’ll also implement mobility and accessibility features to prevent falls and the injuries that result from them.
In terms of security, the biggest concern is with Alzheimer’s sufferers who are prone to wandering. This affects six in ten people with Alzheimer’s and can put them at serious risk of trauma and injury. A memory care community should have preventative measures to lower this risk considerably.
Get the Best Assisted Living in Summerville SC
Use these essential factors to choose the best assisted living in Summerville SC. When it comes to finding quality elder care, you should leave no stone unturned to give your loved one the best quality of life in their golden years.
For those in Summerville, the best choice is always going to be TerraBella Summerville. We offer a wealth of senior housing benefits, some of which are mentioned here.
Schedule a tour of our community today and see them all for yourself.
