Is Your Assisted Living Center Adequate?

When people are thinking about assisted living centers for their loved ones, some of the things that get more attention are the costs, what kinds of care are provided, as well as the amenities that are offered. While these are of course important, there are many other things you should also be concerned about, whether you are looking for a facility, or have someone already living there.

Unless it is obvious, many people don't think about sanitation and food safety. A good start is to go around back and see what kind of garbage facilities they have. Another thing you can do when looking into one, or when you have someone living at one, is to have lunch or dinner with your relative. Closely observe the food handlers, the utensils, and the kitchen facilities if possible. If the kitchen staff isn't wearing gloves while serving food, this is a concern. When problems occur with food safety and sanitation, it is a major concern, causing not only the residents but also the staff to become quite ill. It is a good idea to check with local health agencies in the area to see if the center has ever been cited for violations.

Assisted living centers are not as carefully monitored for these problems as say, a nursing home is. There are really no federal standards for quality like there is for nursing facilities, and only state agencies perform safety and health inspections. Another problem is that residents have a choice when it comes to dining. They can either have their meals in common areas, or in their room or apartment. This means that the food has to travel farther, and is more likely to be contaminated while in route.

Another thing you should always be on the lookout for is security. There are many different kinds of abuse that can happen from resident on resident violence, abuse from staff, mentally, physically, as well as sexually. Usually, you never hear about these problems until one of the staff gets arrested for misconduct. Always check your relatives regularly. Signs of abuse come in many forms. Unexplained bruising is one sign. Others can be your relatives are suddenly quiet and subdued when they have otherwise been pretty happy and outgoing.

Another aspect of security is theft. All too often residents have valuables stolen from their rooms or apartments while in an assisted living facility. If the patient has some kind of mental illness, such as Alzheimer's, they may not even know these items are missing. You have to be the one who is diligent, and report any items that are missing. Locks on the outside doors are also a concern. Some residents may not have all their faculties anymore, and have a tendency to wander. If the center doesn't have adequate security, your loved one could get out and end up getting injured on the outside.

You can find out more information about whether or not your assisted living facility is adequate online. There are watchdog websites with lists of centers that have a history of consistent violations. You can also find site that offer checklists of things to be on the lookout for when looking for a center, as well as many others.