What to Look for in Quality Assisted Living Services for the Elderly

Ohio is an aging state, with nearly 3 million residents currently over the age of 60.

Do you have a loved one dealing with age-related health issues? It's difficult to see someone you love beginning to struggle with daily living, let alone when you're the lone caregiver. If you've noticed the health issues mounting, it might be time to consider assisted living services.

With dozens of senior living communities in and around Sandusky, it can be difficult to choose the right one to meet your loved one's needs. In today's post, we'll help you find quality assisted care by looking at the most important criteria you must investigate.

The best-assisted care services pair quality senior care with a fun and relaxing lifestyle. Keep reading and find the best care for your loved one.

Choosing the Right Type of Senior Resident Care

The first thing you need to do is determine what kind of care your loved one needs. Each community falls under a particular category, so choosing the right one will help enhance your loved one's care. Here are the three most common types of senior resident care:

Independent Living

Independent living communities - aka retirement homes - are best suited for relatively healthy seniors. These communities allow residents to downsize and enjoy a more leisurely lifestyle.

Since residents don't need anyone to care for them, these function more like dormitories, allowing residents to spend time among their peers. They'll have access to various amenities and activities to help them get to know people and look after their long-term health.

Assisted Living

Assisted living is more involved than independent living communities. All residents in assisted living need a bit of extra care due to age-related health issues that restrict mobility.

In the community, they'll have qualified staff members caring for their every need, from bathing and dressing to taking medications. At the same time, all residents have access to similar amenities, dining, and activities.

Everything on offer in assisted living is geared towards helping residents enjoy the highest possible quality of life. It gives your loved one, as well as family members, peace of mind, knowing that they're being properly cared for.

Memory Care

If your loved one is among the 236,000 seniors dealing with the effects of Alzheimer's and dementia, they'll need memory care. This is a service offered through specific assisted living communities.

It offers tailored programming to help your loved one deal with their evolving symptoms. This might include specific activities to boost cognitive function, as well as therapy sessions and secure areas to prevent wandering and injuries.

Finding the Best Sandusky Assisted Living Services

Once you know what type of care your loved one needs, you can truly begin your search. Everyone will have unique criteria that they value in assisted living. Here are some of the most important factors to consider when choosing a community for your loved one:

Reviews

Start your search by looking at online ratings and reviews. It can be tricky to pick out the best communities by looking at their websites. Reviews from the loved ones of current and former residents can answer a lot of questions that communities can't answer themselves.

Read through reviews for all of the top options and look for red flags. If there are any concerns about the quality of care, community maintenance, or staff compassion, you'll find out in the reviews. Choose 3 of the best options and schedule community tours at your earliest convenience.

Staff Qualifications

When taking assisted living tours, you should write a list of questions to ask your guide. The most important thing, of course, is the compassion and qualifications of staff members. Seeing as they'll be the ones providing your loved one with care, you need them to be capable and pleasant.

Amenities and Rooms

Keep your eyes peeled as you're walking around the community. You'll want to look at individual rooms, as well as common areas and amenities, to get a full picture of your loved one's day-to-day life in senior care.

Most communities will offer at least two-floor plans for residents. If you're on a budget, you should be able to opt for a smaller room. At Portland senior living, we offer suite and one-bedroom apartment options.

Amenities are often what tip the balance between one community and the next. If your loved one has particular interests, they'll be drawn to particular community amenities.

Activities

The activity programming a community puts forward should be a huge factor in your decision. Seniors need plenty of exercise each day to help them strengthen joints/muscles and avoid serious injury. Whether it's a walking club or morning yoga, there should always be something healthy to do each day.

Activities should also promote a healthy social life among residents. Social isolation is a major issue in senior populations, but exciting daily activities that facilitate social connections can greatly reduce feelings of isolation. Some of these activities include bingo, games, and group outings.

Dining

Another important aspect of senior health is their nutrition. All older adults need to ensure they're getting all of the vitamins and nutrients they need to avoid things like diabetes, heart disease, and various other ailments.

Some seniors will enjoy cooking in their rooms, but most in assisted living need help eating healthy. A good in-house restaurant should offer a rotating menu of tasty and nutritious meals to boost health.

Choose Portland Place Assisted Living for Your Loved One

Now that you know how to find quality assisted living services for your loved one, you can start your search ASAP. The transition into senior care can be overwhelming for everyone involved, but when they're entering a great community, it can be a liberating experience too.

For seniors in Sandusky, the best option for assisted living is Portland Place Assisted Living. Portland assisted care offers all of the amazing perks that were mentioned here and so much more. Let us help your loved one enjoy their golden years and contact us today to schedule a community tour.