Thursday, October 24, 2013

Evaluating an Assisted Living Home in Phoenix, Arizona


In Arizona, there are over 1,500 assisted living homes to choose from which can be quite overwhelming when needing to locate a quality adult care home. Thankfully, most people don't have a need for continuous skilled care that is provided in a nursing home as they grow older. However, many seniors do need help with day-to-day activities like bathing, dressing, cooking, cleaning and shopping, and Phoenix residents have some great choices when it comes to assisted living homes that bridge the gap that exists between living independently at home and living in a nursing home facility.

Seniors, including those who are in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's disease, can still maintain some of their independence while being assisted with activities that are becoming more difficult for them by moving to a Phoenix, Arizona assisted living home. Phoenix adult group homes offer private rooms as well as common areas that residents can use for recreation, planned activities and socializing - all supervised by trained staff, 24/7/365. Meals, support services, housekeeping, transportation to appointments and errands, help with managing medicine, and more are all offered to residents of long term care homes in Phoenix. Choosing the right senior care provider can be challenging, and all are certainly not created equally. Let's look at how to best evaluate assisted living facilities.



  • Cost. Cost. Medicare, unfortunately, pays none of the cost of staying in an Arizona board and care home, and Medicaid pays very little either. Private insurance may cover the costs for care services - check your individual policy to make that determination. Creating a checklist with all the fees can help eliminate unwanted surprises in the future, for example transportation or hair perms by a visiting hair dresser are usually not covered in the original monthly cost. However, since the monthly cost of staying in a Phoenix assisted living home includes lodging, meals, and more, this type of housing is usually more affordable than nursing homes or hiring an in-home care agency.





  • Location. Once it has been determined how much you can afford, you will want to find an adult care home that is nearby so that you and others can visit with your loved one often. Assisted living homes located closer to a Phoenix hospital like John C Lincoln or Mayo Clinic have a greater benefit when your loved one will need to go back and forth to doctors appointments. Choosing a care home that is near you, a hospital, senior center and other places your loved one will be visiting will prove to be very beneficial.




  • Services. Assisted living homes in Phoenix, Arizona are licensed by the department of health to provider care in all levels of care from personal care to direct care. Some group homes only specialize in a specific area of care even if they may be licensed to provide all levels of care. Be sure to inquire on the areas of specialty, what special needs their residents have or that they have cared for in the past like Alzheimer's Care, Dementia & memory care, Parkinson's, Diabetes care, stroke care or others.



    The ideal facility offers the right amount of care and support for the needs of the resident while still encouraging them to remain as independent as possible, for as long as possible. Consider future needs as well; for example, your loved one may not be incontinent now, but if they become so in the future, how does the facility handle the condition? Would you need to go through the trouble of moving them again? The ideal care home would allow the resident to age in place and offer more care when needed. Consider all possibilities as your loved one will likely need a higher level of care later on down the road.




  • Tour the facility with your loved one, and ask to see more than just the public areas of the building(s). Visit resident rooms, if possible, and ask if you can stay for a meal. Stroll through the facility unsupervised if possible, which will allow you to experience the assisted living home without any "sales" talk from the staff. Take a few moments to talk with current residents - you should ask them what they like about the facility and what aspects have room for improvement.

While making the decision to move to an assisted living home is one of the hardest things in life to do, there are some top-notch adult care homes in Phoenix that can allow your loved one to have a true "home away from home" while getting the care and supervision that they need - without the indignities that sometimes accompany moving to a nursing home.

No comments:

Post a Comment