How to Choose an Adult Care Home

How to Choose an Adult Care Home

An Adult Care Home is a good option for those elders who require consistent and watchful care; here are some characteristics of a candidate for an adult care home.

• An elder who is suffering from a debilitating or degenerative disease
• Someone experiencing memory issues associated with aging or Alzheimer’s
• Those needing a medium to a high level of care

The caregivers in these smaller environments get to know the residents very well.  They will frequently be able to anticipate the resident’s needs and are able to notice the slow and subtle changes that an illness can have on an elder.  Adult care homes are perfect for the senior who would enjoy a quieter, more relaxed environment with a more easy-going atmosphere and daily routine.

Visiting adult family homes is a great way to get to know what you can expect for the elder needing care.  Not only will you want to pay attention to the building and the surroundings, you’ll also want to make the effort to acquaint yourself with the owner and their staff.  It’s the owners and caregivers who set the tone for the home.  These are people who will become like “family” to your elder and to you.  Getting to know the providers and caregivers, getting to understand their way of doing things will be a great boost to heightening your level of trust of them.

Each adult family home’s owner has the ability to decide the services offered in their home.  It may be the belief of the owner that having a single caregiver on duty on each shift will be sufficient to provide for those residents in their home.  Other owners will require that two caregivers are scheduled on every shift.  Ask the provider about their staffing levels, day shifts and night shifts.  Is someone awake all night to provide care if needed or are they only awakened by a call-button or alarm system?  Like any home, there are many duties necessary to make the business run: cooking and cleaning, laundry and shopping, yard and home maintenance.  If there provider is relying on a small pool of people to accomplish all these tasks, then their care will look very different from a home that brings in additional help or outside help to provide some of these services.

When visiting a potential adult family home, it’s important to not only look at the available room being offered, but to also give attention to the common spaces: living room, dining room, kitchen, and the activity space.  A quality home isn’t going to expect a resident to spend all their time in their own room.  A resident’s room is for private time and sleeping.  The provider will want to engage the resident in activities and in the routines of the household.

When you visit a prospective home, you’ll want to pay attention with all your senses.  Don’t be swayed by the décor alone; there’s a lot more going on than drapes.  Rooms should be light and bright, without obstacles for those who are mobility impaired.  They should smell clean and look tidy, as if they’re expecting company.  The caregivers should be attentive but not hovering, the management’s personal stamp on their business should be visible but not over-bearing.

A doctor may have the knowledge to provide appropriate care, but if he/she is not good at communicating with a resident, then something’s been lost.  Health care knowledge isn’t going to be the only benchmark to use when selecting a home; you’ll want to look for a commitment to service, a caregiver with a caring heart and the ability to communicate with their residents.  You’ll want to be satisfied that the people caring for your loved one are people you would want to advocate for your family member.

Once your choices have been narrowed down to just a couple of options, consider paying an unannounced visit.  Dropping in may seem socially inappropriate, but you will gain an insight into what the typical rhythm of home is like.

Adult family homes offer a really good blend of services for their residents.  These smaller environments can give each resident individual attention and support the uniqueness of each resident.  These services go a long way in providing highly beneficial support to those with memory issues or physical frailties.

CHOICE Advisory helps thousands of people make moves to adult care homes.  Call us for free assistance and support in choosing one that matches you’re specific interests.  Call us seven days a week at 800-361-0138.