BY DAVE WEIMAN

An Assisted Living Home might be the ideal solution for an elder who can’t manage well at home, but doesn’t have severe medical problems. The very fact that the elder isn’t very ill, sometimes makes choosing the appropriate level of care in an Assisted Living Home a challenge. It’s important to first make an honest inventory of the elder’s capabilities in order to obtain the proper level of help from the Home’s staff.

Assisted Living Homes provide an ‘apartment’ for each resident, but there’s a wide range of services beyond that one common element. At the ‘lightest’ Homes meals are provided, housekeeping is performed, medication reminders are given, but there is minimal assistance for daily activities such as dressing, bathing, personal grooming, etc. At the other end of the scale, the ‘intense’ level also provides meals and housekeeping, but in addition there are on-site medical professionals, daily activity assistance and medication management.

The details of the services to be provided and the associated fee for each one should be clearly stated in the contract the resident signs. The tricky part is anticipating the level and nature of additional care beyond what is required at the beginning of the contract. However, it is worthwhile to make an attempt to predict this progression of care and have those options detailed in the contract to insure a smooth transition to a higher level of care. Otherwise, an amended contact will need to be completed before the additional service can commence.

It is important to investigate the licenses and credentials of the staff.   Longevity of service in the profession and at that specific Home is one indicator of competence. Confirm that background checks have been performed and bonding insurance is in force. If transportation services are available, verify the drivers’ licenses are appropriate and the insurance includes passengers.

As with any care program, a “care plan” should be developed within a few days after a resident moves into the Home. The resident, family members, and staff should make an assessment of the resident’s current condition and a suggested 90 day care plan with expected results. At the end of that first 90 days, and each 90 day period thereafter, the plan should be reviewed, revised as necessary and extended for another 90 days.

Determining the flexibility of the meal options may be crucial, particularly if the resident’s apartment doesn’t have cooking capabilities. Find out how charges are invoiced for meals outside of a scheduled serving period. Also, if arrangements can be made for having a meal delivered to the apartment in case of illness. If a Home has flexible meal rules, chances are good that it will also embrace other best-practices for person-centered care.

Go to www.carecompasspeoria.org

for more suggestions and guidance for finding quality elder care.

Dave Weiman is the founder of Care Compass, a free online site to assist elders and their families find Elder Care in the Peoria area. Dave has been engaged for over 10 years in improving the quality of care, so elders can enjoy a life of quality.