When you are visiting assisted living communities with a senior in your life, it’s easy to get distracted by lush grounds or a beautifully appointed lobby. While these are attractive features, they aren’t a true measure of the quality of care the community’s team provides.

To help you and your loved one make the best decision, we have a list of tips to keep in mind as you tour assisted living communities.

How to Make an Informed Choice about an Assisted Living Community

1. The staff-resident relationships

The number and quality of staff members will have a big impact on the quality of care your loved one receives. As you tour the community, ask about the resident-to-staff ratio. Also, pay attention to the interactions between caregivers and residents. Do they appear engaged and familiar with one another? Are the relationships warm and friendly?

Another question relates to the average length of staff tenure. A high turnover rate can be a signal that the community is not well managed. Continuity of care is important in an assisted living environment. It gives both residents and caregivers an opportunity to know one another. When staff members are familiar with residents, they can identify potential health issues early.

2. Does the community look, feel, and smell good?

A well-managed assisted living community will look, feel, and smell good. As you and your senior loved one tour, look for indicators that the community is well-kept. Are resident rooms and common areas clean and well maintained? Do you notice repairs that need to be made? Is the community free from odors?

Also, pay attention to the community’s distinctive personality. Is it casual and comfortable or more formal? Do residents seem friendly and welcoming? Can you picture your loved one living there? These are important factors to consider.

3. What happens when more care is needed?

As we grow older, physical mobility often becomes more difficult. Because of this reality, it’s important to ask specific questions at every assisted living community you visit. Find out what support is provided when aging residents need assistance. 

Is the community able to provide additional care and services? Will the senior need to make another move if they need more care? If so, under what circumstances would relocating be necessary? Some assisted living communities are able to care for residents with more advanced needs or those who develop dementia. Clarify these issues before making your decision.

4. How much are monthly fees and other anticipated expenses?

Each assisted living community you tour will have a method for establishing monthly fees. Because of this, it can be difficult to compare costs between different properties. Make sure you understand how the monthly fees are assessed and what expenses you are likely to incur. Also, be sure to ask how often community fees increase, by how much, and what type of notice families are given.

5. How did the community perform during state surveys?

Assisted living communities are governed at the state level. While regulations can vary greatly from one state to another, all states require assisted living communities to go through a routine survey process. Communities must make survey results available to anyone who wants to review them. This is an important step to remember when making your decision. 

Many states now publish survey results online either through the Department of Health or the Department of Aging. If your state doesn’t publish their survey results, ask the staff at the assistant living community for a copy. Many keep them in a binder in the Executive Director’s office or in the lobby.

Talking with a Senior About Assisted Living

If you haven’t yet tackled the topic of moving to assisted living with your family member, the start of a new year is a great time for doing so. “How to Talk to Your Parent About Senior Living” can help you figure out the best way to start this discussion.

It might also be a time when families start to wonder if their loved one may need to consider moving to a senior living community.

Senior Adults are Resilient, but They Still Need Help Coping

Your senior loved one has probably lived through many transitions throughout his or her lifetime already. This is one more in a long line of life-changing events.

However, even though older adults are resilient, they still need help with the transition to a senior living community. That’s often true even if they don’t mind the upcoming change.

Some Older Adults Don’t Mind the Idea of Transitioning

For many seniors, this type of transition is a welcome and natural change. They may even look forward to having the essentials of daily living taken care of for them. This is especially true if they have been secretly struggling to complete chores and errands for many months before anyone noticed.

Plus many older adults anticipate enjoying the array of activities and events offered in their new community.

Finally, the opportunities for social engagement are another attractive feature of senior living communities for many older Americans. As people age, they often lose contact with their former friends and family members due to loss, mobility issues, or cognitive impairment that makes socialization difficult. Being surrounded by peers who share similar struggles can provide the emotional support a senior often needs.

Helping Your Senior Loved One Make the Transition

Even if your loved one is comfortable with the transition to senior living and agrees wholeheartedly that it’s going to be a welcome change, you’ll still need to help prepare him or her for the change.

Here are a few tips:

1. Be there to talk. Anyone who’s about to experience a big change will need to talk about it. This usually needs to take place over time: days, weeks or even months. Simply making yourself available to listen can makes all the difference in the world.
2. Validate his or her concerns. Even in the best of circumstances, when everyone is in agreement about the move, your senior loved one will have questions and concerns. It would be a mistake to downplay his or her fears by simply offering blind reassurance that everything will be wonderful. Be honest about the transition but stress that you’ll work through it together.
3. Get everyone involved. One fear many older adults have as they make this move is that they’ll somehow become cut off from what’s so important to them: their former community and their friends and family. Get more people involved in preparing him or her for the move. That way, you’re showing that the support network is still there.
4. Find out what helps your senior loved one cope. Everyone copes with change in a different manner. If your senior loved one likes to keep busy when they are working through stress, then make sure they have plenty to do before and after the move. If your loved one prefers some alone time to work things out, let the staff members at their senior living community know.

Five Star Senior Living – Senior Living at its Best

Transitions can be tough, but these tips should help the move go smoothly. If you and your senior loved one have decided it’s time for a move to a senior living community, we invite you to visit one of the Five Star Senior Living communities near you.

Contact Us Today

celebrate the nation’s birth with a picnic this week, here’s what you need to know so nobody gets sick.

It’s a Picnic — What Could Happen?

A picnic in the park (or on the front lawn) isn’t the most dangerous way to spend the Fourth of July. Many people celebrate with firecrackers, after all! 

That may leave you wondering why you need to be thinking about health and safety when you’re merely planning a fun picnic for seniors. 

But sparklers and quarterstick firecrackers aren’t the only dangers associated with this holiday week. 

There’s also the common threat of food poisoning. 

Food-borne bacteria love picnics, too. The warm weather is their ideal environment. And as most of us have witnessed at one time or another, people tend to leave food out in the open for long periods of time at picnics. 

Here’s how to protect your picnic-ers from foodborne illness as you celebrate Independence Day.

Proper Picnic Containers are Key

A lot of time can pass between the time you take your picnic food out of the fridge and the time it’s placed on the picnic table. That’s often enough time for bacteria to begin to thrive. 

There’s another reason to use proper containers when transporting your food. 

Those containers serve double duty. They help keep food at ideal temperatures during transport and they also serve to keep food cool throughout the duration of the picnic. 

Here are some guidelines for packing and storing the picnic food:

• Pack food in a cooler with frozen gel packs or plenty of ice. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration says to aim for an internal cooler temperature of 40°F to prevent bacteria from growing. 
• Pack extra ice. Cars become hot in summer. The internal temperature of your vehicle can quickly change the temperature of food. Pack food in a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs so you can keep things chilled.
• Use more than one cooler for food. If you’re going to be grilling, pack a separate cooler for the raw meat. This can help prevent cross-contamination of your other picnic food. 
• Pack a third cooler for drinks. That way, when people continuously reach for cold drinks, they’re not opening the food coolers and letting out all the cold air. 
• Put a time limit on how long food stays out in the sun. The AARP recommends two hours maximum. If it’s 90°F or higher, allow only one hour. 

More Healthy Picnic Tips for Seniors

• Use pasteurized eggs. The AARP also recommends only pasteurized eggs for seniors who often have compromised immune systems. This may help reduce the risk of salmonella. 
• Wash hands. People often forget about washing hands before handling food at picnics. That’s a mistake! Bring handi-wipes in case there’s no running water nearby. They’re also handy if running water is located in a spot that’s difficult for seniors with mobility issues to reach. 
• Leftovers. Pack up uneaten food immediately once everyone has finished eating. Your ice or gel packs will come in handy at this point. Then, once you’re back home, put food in the refrigerator immediately. 

Stay Healthy and Keep up the Tradition!

We hope this has helped you prepare for the Fourth of July festivities you may have planned for this week. We also applaud all caregivers for the efforts they take to provide care for seniors, especially on holidays. 

Here at Five Star Senior Living, we understand the value of traditions like picnics on the Fourth of July. After all, warmth and hospitality are a cornerstone of what we do every day!

<!–[CDATA[When an older loved one begins to need a little extra help, families usually start searching for solutions. While many are aware of assisted living communities, most don’t understand what they offer or how they are different from other types of senior housing.

If you are wondering if an assisted living community is the right option for your family member, here are a few things that might help you decide. 

What Families Should Know About Assisted Living Communities

1. Residents are free to set their own schedules.

There are a lot of misconceptions about assisted living communities. One that sometimes keeps older adults from considering this senior option is the fear they will lose their independence. In reality, residents of assisted living communities have the freedom to come and go as they please. They are also free to participate in as many—or as few—life enrichment activities as they choose. There are no rigid schedules to follow!

2. Private apartments and suites are standard.

Another worry many older adults have is that they will lose their privacy if they decide to move to an assisted living community. While there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the companionship of neighbors, every resident has their own private apartment or suite. 

3. There are an abundance of wellness programs and daily activities.

Another myth about senior housing communities is that there isn’t much to do beyond playing card games and bingo. It’s true that you’ll likely find a competitive game of cards or a spirited round of bingo happening, but there are many more activities and events to participate in as well. Most assisted living communities host art classes, musical events, movie nights, religious services, and wellness programs on a daily or weekly basis.

4. Monthly fees include utilities, meals, and more.

Assisted living communities are a good value. The monthly fee typically includes a wide variety of benefits, services, and amenities. There are a few standard features common across the senior living industry. These include utilities, cable, housekeeping, laundry, life-enrichment activities, wellness programs, meals and snacks, and a private apartment or suite. Other amenities are sometimes offered for additional fees, such as a beauty shop, transportation services, and off-campus outings.

5. Pets are sometimes welcome.

Many assisted living communities know that pets are family members, too. That’s why an increasing number of communities happily welcome pets. Talk with the staff at any community you are considering to see if there are size and weight restrictions or other rules regarding pets. 

Assisted Living at Five Star

The best way to learn more about assisted living is by scheduling a private tour of a community near you. With over 270 communities in 30 states, you’ll likely find a Five Star Senior Living community near you. Call us today at (853) 457-8271 to set up a time to visit and have all of your questions answered!

community where your senior loved one will be feel right at home.

Common Mistakes in the Search for Assisted Living
When exploring your options for an assisted living community, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Don’t Choose a Community You Would Love

We all have different tastes. You might be ready to retire and pack your bags to move into a luxurious lakeshore assisted living community right now. But the locale may not reflect your parent’s dream, at all.
When you are touring senior housing communities, do your best to keep your parent’s tastes, interests, and hobbies in mind. If you can, bring your parent along to help you assess different communities. 

2. Select a Community Based on Current and Future Needs

When you visit communities, think about the person your parent is now—what they would enjoy and the type of surroundings that would make them feel comfortable. While it’s not always easy to predict, also try to consider what type of care your parent will likely require in the months and years ahead.

3. Involve Your Parent in the Process

Don’t overlook how important it is to include your parent in this process whenever possible. Ask them what features they want in their new space.

Maybe your mom spent her life in a cozy house with country decor, but would like to enjoy retirement in more luxurious surroundings. Or maybe your mom always enjoyed designer clothes and furnishings and wants something simpler for a change.

Whenever possible, enlist your parent’s feedback before making a selection.
 
4. Consider the Community’s Location but Don’t Make it the Top Priority

You’ve found the perfect community. It’s right on your way home from work, so you can visit daily. But remember, it’s important for your parent to create a new life in assisted living with friends and hobbies of his or her own.

Life happens. Daily visits may be impractical regardless of how close your parent lives. And no matter how close—or far away—your parent lives you’ll make the time to visit if it’s important to you. So make sure that your parent finds a place he or she will be happy when you’re not there. 

5. Be Mindful of Your Parent’s Budget

As with buying a house or renting an apartment, your parent undoubtedly has a budget for senior living. Don’t tour places outside that budget and create unrealistic expectations.

Consider how your parent will need to pay for assisted living, whether through private pay, long-term care insurance, or life insurance. You may also explore Medicare, Medicaid, or VA benefit options.

This can help you set a budget and find the best community he or she can afford within their price range.

A Five Star Senior Living expert is happy to discuss payment options to help your aging parent afford assisted living. Call the community closest to you with any questions you might have!