Choosing a long-term care facility is an important part of estate planning for anyone in their older years.
But how can a person choose the right care facility? What sort of red flags should someone look out for when they start searching?
Knowing who a facility supports
The National Institute on Aging discusses long-term care facilities as a potential future option. These homes offer a lot of benefits to older adults who need a little extra help when it comes to daily life activities.
Some facilities specialize in care for people suffering from certain ailments, such as facilities for those with memory issues like dementia sufferers. Others focus more on mobility or physical therapy, while others still only provide the bare minimum because residents largely do not need help.
When looking, it is important to start off by searching for facilities that match the individual needs of the person who will eventually go there. If a highly rated facility simply does not have what a future resident needs to get by, it is something to, unfortunately, pass up.
The importance of in-person tours
Next, make sure to always visit every facility and get an in-person tour. Try to speak to the nursing staff director and the facility director as well. Having this discussion can illuminate who these individuals are as people, and how they run and care for their facility and the residents living in it.
Try to talk to other residents or their families, as well. The truest way to get a first-hand review is through people who live in the facility, after all, and they may provide valuable insight and information.
