Things to Look for in a Long-Term Care Facility

Long-term care is not easy to discuss and it's a topic that’s regularly put off by individuals that are approaching the time to discuss it. It’s important to be aware of what needs to be considered when looking at a long-term care facility.

Some families decide to go with in-home care instead of a long-term care facility, especially if the patient is recovering from an illness or surgery. There are some vital aspects of in-home care that benefit the patient, like the feeling of freedom they get from being able to stay in their own home.

We’ve all heard about cases of carers mistreating senior citizens and that is the main reason to be so careful if we do end up choosing a long-term care facility for a loved one. This means that some considerations need revision before going ahead and taking the next step with a long-term care facility if in-home care is not an option.

The staff

Naturally, the first thing that we must verify if we’re considering a particular long-term care facility is the quality of the staff, both administrative and caregivers. You need to check if the amount of caregivers is sufficient with the number of residents, that way you can tell if the place has the requirements to provide adequate care for your loved one.

Cleanliness

When making the tour through the facility try to see how clean the individual rooms and shared areas are at different times of the day. It might be worthwhile seeing other residents and examine how clean and neat they look.

An unclean facility will also display some unpleasant odours, so if you perceive any, that can raise questions about how clean the place is, more than how beautiful it looks outside.

Talk to the patients

The best way to confirm or clear any doubts you may have about the place is talking to the residents. Simple questions such as how happy they are living there, if their basic needs are met and how well the staff treat them. How do they stay busy, what kind of activities are on offer?

You can also inquire if residents are allowed to go outside, to church for instance. Try not to keep just one testimony, interview more residents and build an opinion of the place with that information.

The facility

How well suited is the place for people recovering from an illness? Does the building look like a hospital or can residents bring their own things such as furniture so they feel more at home?

The idea is that your loved one has a good and clean transition from being at home to being in the facility, put yourself in your relative´s shoes and think about the way you would like to be treated under those circumstances.

What is available for the residents to do

Learn about all the activities they can immerse in while being in the facility. Ask if they can give you a schedule of the activities they can do during the day. See how they fit with your loved one's lifestyle, again the whole idea is to make this process easier for your relative, so making your decision based on this is also advisable.

Is there a medical staff in case of an emergency

Most residents of a long-term care facility will have medical issues, so naturally, a well-equipped facility must have professional medical staff, like a doctor or even a registered nurse on site.

Consider what type of illness your loved one suffers and see if the place is equipped to deal with a medical related emergency properly.

Cost

This is one of the most important aspects of making this particular decision. Long-term care facilities can be expensive and that is why this decision must be carefully planned. It’s always been advised to save for these years to reduce the financial burden on others or yourself, however, long-term care insurance is also an option.

You can start preparing yourself for this now, you just need good saving habits. Another option - you could check if there's PPI insurance from the past that you don't know about. You can take this money and save it for the future, check here if you were affected by the PPI scandal.

This may not be a pleasant topic to discuss but think about your own future and make the right decision. Start saving so you can be prepared for the future adequately.