How to Avoid the Wrong Senior Living Community for Your Loved One
Chuck worked as a hospital-based home health medical social worker. One of his roles was to ensure seniors who were discharged from the hospital had supportive services in place for home care or assisted living. The other was to help the Senior in their transition back home or to assisted living. But he knew all too well the challenges families face when selecting a senior living facility—and the consequences of choosing the wrong senior living community. He received a call from his boss that would change his life forever.
She told him that the home health agency just signed up a new client who was demanding to leave the facility her daughter placed her in. She was threatening violence, and Chuck needed to get to her immediately. Chuck knew the community well, as it was known for dementia and Alzheimer’s care.
When he arrived, he met Arlene, a 74-year-old woman who demanded, “Get me out of here. I don’t belong here.” He engaged her in conversation for a few minutes, enough to be able to ascertain that she did not have a memory issue — in fact, she was completely alert and quite well oriented with her surroundings.
After digging in, he learned that Arlene’s daughter had placed her in this facility because it was the only one she knew, since she drove past it every day on her way to work.
Arlene begged Chuck to help her get out of this place; she knew she didn’t belong with the others. It’s what inspired Chuck to start CarePatrol, a senior living placement service that enables families to get the proper resources and recommendations on appropriate senior housing solutions that match a senior’s budget, preferences, acuity, and lifestyle.
The Challenge of Senior Living Community Selection
One of the most important considerations we face as we age is where to live. Eventually, senior living communities become the best choice, but the choices are nearly endless. In the U.S. alone, there are over 16,000 senior living campuses. Among these campuses are varying levels of costs, care, and specialties. Since 75% of seniors have at least one chronic health condition, finding the right living community is essential for enjoying a comfortable, safe life in our golden years.
Finding the right senior living facility is a challenge that many families face. Often, selecting senior living is left to the families, caregivers, or seniors themselves. Typically, the people responsible for setting up a senior living situation are overwhelmed and lack the resources they need to make the best decision.
Jules, one of 10 children, had her mother move in with her after she got sick and needed someone to look after her. In reality, Jules went to work every day, and no one was home to tend to Mom until after dinner. She’d experienced multiple falls, to the point they decided to seek out alternate living arrangements where her mom would have on-site resources, such as independent living.
Great in concept, except Mom still fell, and no one was around to check on her until the next day and she spent all night on the floor in pain.
Jules sought out hospital resources, social workers, palliative care, no one had an answer.
No one could let her know what they should be doing.
It is daunting and challenging for families to see their parents or loved ones need increasing levels of care as they rapidly progress through the disease. It is very difficult to anticipate how people age and what physical or mental issues could arise.
Sometimes, families are forced to make unrealistically fast decisions regarding senior living. The result is that many seniors do not end up in the safest or happiest environment for their individual needs.
Safe Senior Living with CarePatrol
CarePatrol was developed to address the gap between the resources people have and the resources they need to choose the best senior living for their relatives or themselves. Unfortunately, these stories are not the exception; they are similar to what happens to seniors and their families on a daily basis.
CarePatrol offers the extra set of information you need to choose the right senior living environment. We evaluate your situation and recommend the best fit for you. We pre-screen over 36,000 care providers nationwide so that we know their strengths, their budgets, and the clients who they can best serve. CarePatrol is completely free and a no-cost service to the family because we are compensated by the tens of thousands of providers in our network.
Choose a safer senior housing option with CarePatrol.
Find your local CarePatrol senior advisor today.