The process of looking for an ideal assisted living community is time-consuming and stressful. You will have to compare different options before selecting a suitable community. Once you are done selecting, the next thing is to ask questions concerning fee structure, amenities, and activities. Most importantly, you need to ask questions about security.
Safety and security measures in a retirement community will determine the comfort of your loved ones and also ensure they are protected. These are a few security measures to consider when looking for assisted living in Woodbridge, SC:
Transparent Operating Process
Aging adults are vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment; some retirement communities can exploit their vulnerability. To ensure your loved one doesn’t fall victim to these, it is important that you choose a community with a transparent system of operation.
Retirement communities must be willing to take you through their process of operation and be completely open about how they care for your loved one. In addition, if there is a problem while caring for your loved ones, they must be able to notify you immediately.
Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan
How does the community respond to an emergency? Are they fully prepared ahead of time in case of any emergency? Do they even have an emergency system? Some retirement communities integrated emergency buttons in residents’ suites to notify them of any crisis. On the other hand, some communities do not have an emergency response system connected to the team members.
Before moving your loved one into a retirement community, ask whether they have a medical alert or GPS tracking system to monitor residents. This ensures your loved ones are protected in their suites and the community.
Fire Detection System
It is essential and mandatory that a retirement community has fire systems in their building. This becomes more important for residents who need assistance with mobility or those living with any cognitive complications.
Retirement communities for residents who need some level of assistance must have a system to monitor every part of the community. In addition, some team members need to be alerted as first responders to handle the emergency.
Access Control
In addition to using video surveillance to secure the perimeter, perimeter access control prevents trespassing. It prevents residents from leaving the community without the team members’ knowledge. Access control is mostly useful in memory care centers where residents tend to wander off to other parts of the community.
In some cases, residents in these communities can wander off the neighborhood without other residents knowing. The access control is more secure, unlike traditional mechanical locks. It must be electronic, with access cards for each team member. In addition, there should be a team member and an intercom system at the main entrance to monitor whoever enters or leaves the community.
