3 Key Factors in Selecting the Right Assisted Living Community

Assisted Living Theodore AL

Assisted Living Theodore AL

The moment you realize your elderly mother needs more than the support you can offer, elder care becomes an almost all-encompassing thought. You want to know the right thing for her to do, but what will that be? Assisted living offers many of the best benefits and you’d do well to help you understand those advantages.

Selecting the right assisted living community for her or anyone else isn’t always easy, though. There are a few factors to keep in mind, and we outline three of them here.

Factor #1: It should be her choice.

Too often, when we’re worried about our loved ones, we start to take on a tremendous responsibility. That means you could be so focused on securing the best elder care for your mother that she doesn’t have a choice in the matter.

Avoid making that simple mistake if you can. Always bring it back to the simple reality that she should be the one who gets the choice. Yes, you may do a ton of research, take tours, and exhausted yourself trying to secure a place, but did you go over all of this with her?

Ultimately, it’s her decision whatever elder care solution she chooses, and it would be a good idea to start from that point of thinking.

Factor #2: What are the amenities and/or activities available?

The moment you begin looking into assisted living, consider the activities the facility puts on. Are there arts and crafts? Are there entertainment options? Does the facility help residents get out to a local park? A mall? Or other points of interest?

Do they bring in outside experts to assist with some of these activities? If so, what are some examples? The more you research and learn about assisted living and what it provides to elderly residents, the more effective you’ll be at helping your aging mother see that moving isn’t about giving up, but about enjoying life and improving the quality of it.

Factor #3: What kind of community is there for seniors?

One of the best aspects that assisted living provides is the sense of community for seniors. Many aging men and women become lonely, especially when they live at home alone. They often complain they can’t see their friends or do things with them, at least not the way they used to.

At a quality assisted living facility, there should be a strong sense of community, one that helps each other, a group of seniors who look out for one another, and where they lean on each other during difficult times. As social creatures, humans need that sense of community and you’ll find it at a quality facility.

The more you plan ahead, the easier it’s going to be to find a place your mother will thoroughly enjoy. Just don’t overlook the most important factor in all of this, which is that this is her choice. Some seniors come around to realizing and accepting that assisted living is a great option later than others, but when you’re patient and she sees that, it’ll make a world of difference in the end.

If you or an aging loved one are considering a move to Assisted Living in Theodore, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.

About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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