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Tips for Touring an Assisted Living or Memory Care

By January 19, 2022No Comments
assisted living and memory care tips

The time has come to start researching senior living options such as assisted living and memory care. With so many choices and features to choose from, it’s important to choose the right senior living community for your loved one. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to know what the best fit for your loved one will be if they aren’t able to experience and see it. This has been challenging to do the last couple of years due to the pandemic. However, there are safe ways that an individual can get a good feel for an assisted living or memory care facility.

Tips For Touring a Senior Living Community

The following checklist is suggested when touring a senior living community:

  • Determine whether tours are occurring in-person or virtually.
  • If tours are virtual, see if they can give a live virtual tour so that you can see events that are happening in the moment. A live tour will give you the ability to ask questions and receive immediate feedback.
  • Visit the company’s website to see if they have a virtual tour available that you can watch. Browse the website to get a feel for what the assisted living or memory care home has to offer.
  • Set up a tour during an activity. This will help you see what kind of events occur and if these would be engaging to you or your loved one.
  • Visit with the staff that work there. See what type of impression you get when you talk to them. Ask them why they work there and how they feel about working with seniors.
  • Visit with some of the residents. Ask them about their experiences so far.
  • Observe the outside area. Are there places to walk, sit, garden, or enjoy the beautiful surroundings?
  • Look at an activity calendar. This will give you a great idea as to what type of events occur and what to look forward to. These may include bus trips to interesting places, crafts, games, musical events, book clubs, and more.
  • See if you can try one of their meals that they serve. This will give a good idea of the type of food that is prepared, and if it is to your liking.
  • Examine the size of the room and layout. Can you envision your furniture and belongings there? Check to see if the room is clean, inviting, and well lit.
  • Find out what amenities are offered and included in the monthly rent such as meals, activities, utilities, Wi-Fi, and cable television.
  • If your loved needs memory care, determine if specialized dementia training is offered to the staff. Further, ensure that the community is secured and safe for your loved one.
  • Look at staffing ratios and find out if there are enough staff to properly care for your loved one.
  • Check if you can meet the administrator. Do they have an open-door policy and how accessible will they be to you, should you have questions or needs?
  • Ask about the survey outcomes for that specific location. Are they in good standing with the state? If there have been issues, what were they and how were they resolved? If they had great outcomes, what were they and why?
  • Find out if the facility is an industry leader and is continually looking for new ways to innovate and improve the experience of their residents and staff.

Choose The Cottages Assisted Living and Memory Care

The Cottages Senior Living will provide the best environment for your loved one. Their small, home-like atmosphere and high staff-to-resident ratio helps ensure that the residents are well cared for, and their needs are addressed. The Cottages Assisted Living and Memory Care homes have a maximum of only 16 residents per home, which enables our staff to give more personalized care. The home-cooked meals not only follow dietary guidelines but are delicious and nutritious. The activities are tailored to the residents’ wants and desires, creating life-enriching moments. Bus rides and fun outings are a regular occurrence. The administrator has an open-door policy and is never too busy to meet with family or answer questions. The atmosphere feels calm, happy, and look like a home. The Cottages are secure but never feel like an institution or hotel. The staff receive consistent and updated dementia training. The team members are continuously recognized and rewarded for providing excellent care. A positive company culture is vital to the leadership, and they are consistently working on this. The Cottages Assisted Living and Memory Care have received numerous national and state quality awards for their well-run homes, exuding superior care.

If you are looking for an exceptional assisted living or memory care home, look no further. Call The Cottages today to schedule a tour or speak with one of our experts! (208) 475-1805.

If you are looking for a fulfilling career in Assisted Living or Memory Care, we’d love to speak with you! Learn more by clicking here

Schedule a tour!

We welcome the opportunity to speak with you about the care you or your loved ones will receive at one of our Idaho locations.

If you have any questions, would like to tour one of the Idaho assisted living homes, or receive a no pressure consultation with one of our licensed Administrators, please fill out the form below. Please mention which location or locations are of interest to you.