There are not many bad decision that can’t be fixed. We can all think of wonderful stories of people who have made wrong decision in life and have bounced back to “fight another day.” Today I want to talk about a decision that most people only get to make once.
Every parent knows what it’s like to care for a helpless newborn who would not live without the love and care of his or her parents. The decision to be a parent is usually weighed out and planned for carefully. When an aged parent loses independence and needs our decision making ability, we should walk into that role with respect for how weighty and lasting our decisions are.
It would be easy to throw our company name into the next sentence as the solution to all your difficult care decisions, but it’s not that simple. Every person has a unique set of physical, mental and social needs. The role of someone who is a decision maker for long-term care is multifaceted. Assuring that you give attention to these will give you peace of mind that you made the right decision.
- Talk to people who have been through this before. Use your social network and ask people about their experience. Use review sites and read through all of the reviews. Ask any potential facility if they would give you contact information for the last 10 residents who have moved on from the facility. Reach out to these people and ask them about their experience.
- Get educated before you shop. There are a variety of care options for different levels of care. Go online and read about the different options before you start looking. I’ve written about some of the options and you can see those below or by clicking here.
- Contact and preview a minimum of five options. As you go to each facility, ask them to educate you about what to look for on your tours.
- The previous three tips are important, but this tip is the one that makes all the difference. After making a choice, the single most essential part of assuring quality of care for your loved one is to visit consistently, frequently and preferably unannounced. Review the facilities plan of care and be involved in every step of the care. When you visit, thank the staff for their hard work and engage them about your loved one’s quality of care. These people are the “boots on the ground” and will help you assess if the care is consistently up to par across the board.
If you are in the process of making a long-term care decision, give us a call. All Seasons may not be the right solution for your loved one’s needs, but we’d be glad to point you in the right direction.
