4 Key Areas When Touring Assisted Living Communities
When families look into assisted living communities, they usually take a tour to investigate and see the different amenities and programs they can offer their parents. It can be a lot to understand, and we always suggest taking a notebook with you and write down the information you believe is essential.
Furthermore, we think there are four critical areas to think about when touring assisted living communities.
Learn More About Each Area Below:
Cleanliness
Hygiene is extremely important. Check to see how clean the community is.
The old saying goes, if it’s not clear where you can see it, what is happening behind the scenes?
Is there dust on the baseboards, tops of TVs, or on chairs?
Are there stains on the rugs or carpets? Does it smell bad or have an overpowering smell to cover something up?
These are all things to check when visiting a retirement community. You’ll want to know about the upkeep of the room where your parent will be staying.
Food
Food is important to everyone.
The fact is people of all ages like to complain. It’s why as a business, it can be so difficult to get good reviews, but one bad experience motivates people like nothing else.
The reason I bring this up is the biggest complaint and topic of conversation is the food.
What did they eat?
How did it taste?
How often do they have it?
It’s all about food.
So try it. Does it look appetizing? Does the menu fluctuate a lot?
How long has the head chef been working in the community – the longer, the better.
That brings us to our next topic.
Consistency of Staff
All companies have turnover. You are doing great in the senior care industry if you have less than a 50% turnover rate with your home health aides and CNAs.
So my point is to look more closely at the department heads.
- Admissions
- Executive Director
- Wellness Director
- Memory Care Director
- Food Service Director
- Business Office
These are some departments where you might wish to ask how long they have been working there. Ideally, the longer, the better.
There is a skilled nursing facility that has retained its department heads for nearly a decade. Then there are ones that have turnover every six months.
One of the more negative thoughts I have had with this business is if I make a call to see if we can earn a facilities referral, and the person is rude or is uninterested, I say, “someone new will be in there in less than ten months,” and most of the time I am right.
So the consistency of staff is important, and I look highly at it.
Decor
See what the decor and overall feeling and vibe of the community are.
Most communities that are being built new or renovated are going for a more modern feel. A real community where everything is all in one place for them.
They have:
- Outdoor patio area
- Bars
- Cafes (multiple)
- Reading nooks
- Movie theaters
- Entertainment rooms (multiple)
- Living rooms with TVs
- Lounges
- Libraries
So when you walk in, does it seem outdated, or has it been recently renovated.
Now you might want the best of the best. It all depends on your situation and your parent’s desires.
Just look at the decor and see if it looks tired, or was it updated recently?
Key Takeaways
So there you have it, four things to make sure to look at when tour assisted living communities in your area.
Did we miss anything? Share with us any of your tips for getting a good sense of assisted living communities.
Listen to the podcast to hear Janet’s take on this – she worked in one for years and had a few tips we didn’t mention in the blog post.
Do you need help finding the right Assisted Living Home for you or a loved one?
Contact Minute Women Now! We’re here to help.