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AARP Questions to Ask Assisted Living: A Comprehensive Guide for Choosing the Right Facility
Author: Eleanor Vance, RN, BSN, Geriatric Care Manager with 15 years of experience in assisted living facility assessment and placement.
Publisher: ElderCare Solutions, a leading provider of resources and information for seniors and their families navigating the complexities of aging. ElderCare Solutions has a dedicated team of geriatric specialists and publishes comprehensive guides on senior care options.
Editor: Dr. David Miller, MD, Geriatrician with 20 years of experience in geriatric medicine and a focus on elder care facility evaluation.
Summary: This guide provides a comprehensive list of "AARP questions to ask assisted living" facilities, drawing from expert insights to help families make informed decisions. It highlights best practices for the selection process, common pitfalls to avoid, and addresses critical aspects of care, cost, and overall quality of life. This resource empowers individuals to navigate the complexities of choosing the right assisted living environment for their loved ones.
Keywords: AARP questions to ask assisted living, assisted living questions, choosing an assisted living facility, assisted living checklist, senior care, aging parents, assisted living costs, assisted living reviews, AARP resources for seniors, senior housing options.
I. Introduction: Navigating the Assisted Living Landscape with AARP Questions to Ask Assisted Living
Choosing an assisted living facility is a significant decision for families. The right facility can provide comfort, care, and a sense of community for your loved one, while the wrong choice can lead to frustration, dissatisfaction, and compromised well-being. This guide, utilizing the framework of key questions recommended by resources like AARP (though AARP itself doesn't provide a specific checklist), provides a structured approach to evaluating potential assisted living facilities.
II. AARP Questions to Ask Assisted Living: Essential Categories
This section organizes crucial questions into key categories, reflecting the aspects of care and living that are most important to families. These “AARP questions to ask assisted living” are not exhaustive, but they offer a solid foundation for your evaluation.
A. Care Services:
1. What types of assistance are offered? (Personal care, medication management, bathing, dressing, eating) Be specific about your loved one's needs.
2. What is the staff-to-resident ratio? A lower ratio generally indicates more personalized attention.
3. What is the staff's training and experience? Inquire about certifications and ongoing training in dementia care, if needed.
4. What is the facility's approach to medication management? Understand their procedures to ensure safety and accuracy.
5. What are the procedures for handling emergencies and urgent medical situations? Ask about on-site medical personnel or access to nearby hospitals.
6. What are the options for specialized care, such as memory care or rehabilitation services?
B. Amenities and Lifestyle:
7. What recreational and social activities are available? Consider your loved one's interests and preferences.
8. What are the dining options and meal plans? Inquire about dietary restrictions and preferences.
9. What transportation services are provided? Assess accessibility to appointments and outings.
10. Are there opportunities for socialization and interaction with other residents?
11. What are the visiting hours and policies?
12. Are pets allowed?
C. Financial Considerations:
13. What is the monthly fee, and what services are included? Get a detailed breakdown of costs.
14. Are there additional fees for services not included in the base rate? Understand potential hidden costs.
15. What payment options are available?
16. What is the facility's policy on refunds or cancellations?
D. Safety and Security:
17. What safety measures are in place to prevent falls and injuries? Inquire about emergency call systems and safety features.
18. What is the facility's security system? Ask about access control and security personnel.
19. How does the facility address resident behavior issues? Understand their approach to managing challenging behaviors.
20. What is the facility's infection control policy?
E. Facility Information:
21. What is the facility's licensing and accreditation status? Check with state regulatory agencies.
22. What is the facility's history and reputation? Check online reviews and talk to current residents or families.
23. What is the facility's commitment to resident rights and dignity?
24. What is the process for addressing complaints or concerns?
III. Best Practices and Common Pitfalls
Best Practices:
Visit multiple facilities: Don't settle for the first place you see.
Visit at different times of day: Observe the atmosphere at various times.
Talk to residents and staff: Get firsthand accounts of their experiences.
Review online reviews and ratings: Use online resources to gather information, but be aware that reviews can be subjective.
Bring a checklist of "AARP questions to ask assisted living": This ensures you don't miss crucial questions.
Document your findings: Take notes and compare the facilities.
Common Pitfalls:
Rushing the decision: Take your time to thoroughly evaluate each facility.
Focusing solely on cost: Consider the quality of care over price.
Ignoring red flags: Pay attention to warning signs, such as uncleanliness, disengaged staff, or unhappy residents.
Not involving your loved one: If possible, include your loved one in the decision-making process.
IV. Conclusion
Choosing an assisted living facility requires careful consideration and a thorough evaluation process. Using these "AARP questions to ask assisted living," along with best practices and awareness of common pitfalls, you can increase the likelihood of selecting a facility that meets your loved one's needs and provides a positive and enriching living experience. Remember, this is a crucial decision impacting your loved one's well-being and quality of life; thorough research and preparation are key.
FAQs
1. What is the difference between assisted living and nursing homes? Assisted living provides assistance with daily living activities, while nursing homes provide 24-hour medical care.
2. How much does assisted living cost? Costs vary widely depending on location and level of care.
3. How can I find assisted living facilities in my area? Use online search engines or contact your local Area Agency on Aging.
4. What are the legal rights of residents in assisted living facilities? Residents have the right to privacy, dignity, and respect.
5. How can I ensure my loved one's safety in an assisted living facility? Thoroughly research the facility's safety measures and ask about their emergency procedures.
6. What if my loved one's needs change? Many facilities offer a range of care levels to accommodate changing needs.
7. How do I pay for assisted living? Explore options such as private pay, Medicare, Medicaid, and long-term care insurance.
8. How can I get help with the decision-making process? Consider consulting with a geriatric care manager or social worker.
9. What are the signs that an assisted living facility may not be a good fit? Signs include uncleanliness, unresponsive staff, unhappy residents, and a lack of transparency.
Related Articles
1. Understanding Assisted Living Contracts: A guide to navigating the legal aspects of assisted living agreements.
2. Financing Assisted Living: A comprehensive overview of payment options and financial planning for assisted living.
3. Choosing the Right Level of Care: A detailed discussion on different care levels and how to determine the best fit.
4. Assisted Living vs. Home Care: A comparison of the two options, highlighting their pros and cons.
5. Assessing Your Loved One's Needs: A guide to identifying the specific care requirements of a senior.
6. Navigating the Emotional Aspects of Assisted Living: Guidance on coping with the emotional challenges of placing a loved one in assisted living.
7. Finding the Best Assisted Living Amenities: A guide to considering amenities that enhance quality of life.
8. The Role of Family in Assisted Living: Tips for maintaining strong relationships while supporting a loved one in assisted living.
9. Advocating for Your Loved One in Assisted Living: Practical advice on representing your loved one's interests within the facility.
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Disrupting the Status Quo of Senior Living Jill Vitale-Aussem, 2019 With 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 each day, the need for senior living is growing at a steep rate, and the aging services field has been hard at work preparing for these new customers. Current practices aim to bring the kind of comfort and amenities enjoyed at hotels and resorts to the settings we create for older adults to live in. But what if these efforts are misdirected? Interweaving research on aging, ideas from influential thinkers in the aging services field, and the author's own experiences managing and operating senior living communities, Disrupting the Status Quo of Senior Living: A Mindshift challenges readers to question long-accepted practices, examine their own biases, and work toward creating vibrant cultures of possibility and growth for elders. Shining a light on her own professional field, Jill Vitale-Aussem exposes the errors of current thinking and demonstrates how a shift in perspective can effect real cultural transformation. Her book delves into society's inherent biases about growing older--where ageism, paternalism, and ableism abound--and provokes readers to examine how a youth-obsessed culture unconsciously impacts even the most well-meaning senior living policies, practices, and organizations. Deconstructing the popular hospitality model, for example, Vitale-Aussem explains how it can actually undermine feelings of purpose and independence. In its place, she proposes better ways to create opportunities for older people to exercise choice, autonomy, and self-efficacy. Filled with empowering stories of elders who find purpose and belonging within their senior residences, Disrupting the Status Quo of Senior Living builds on AARP's disrupt aging work and demonstrates that to truly transform senior living, we must dig deeper and create communities that promote the potential and value of the people who live and work in these settings. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: AARP Roadmap for the Rest of Your Life Bart Astor, 2013-04-16 WASHINGTON POST Bestseller List 3/30/14 Solid solutions and step-by-step instructions for planning the next stage of your life Life after 50 isn’t what it used to be. The rules have changed. No more guaranteed pensions, retiree health plans, or extensive leisure and travel. It’s time to forge new paths and create innovative models. That’s where the AARP Roadmap for the Rest of Your Life comes in. Bart Astor, author of more than a dozen books, offers a comprehensive guide for making lifestyle decisions, growing your nest egg, and realizing your goals. This AARP book— Provides guidance on the key areas you’ll need to consider: finances and work, health and fitness, Medicare and Social Security, estate planning, insurance, housing, and more Offers expert tips on creating age- and health-specific goals through a personal “Level of Activity” scale based on how active you can and want to be Includes tips for finding fun and fulfilling activities and even completing your bucket list Supplies ready-to-use worksheets to help you set and meet financial planning goals, get your legal affairs in order, and maintain adequate health insurance Contains a comprehensive list of valuable resources |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Navigating Your Later Years For Dummies Carol Levine, 2021-01-11 Make your later years your best! As many people live longer, they have more choices than ever before to make their later years more fulfilling. With AARP’s Navigating Your Later Years For Dummies, Portable Edition,you discover the many options you have for living independently, getting the best healthcare, and determining what legal papers and insurance you need. You don’t need to make these types of decisions alone. This handy resource also gives you expert advice on how to review your choices and discuss them with loved ones. This practical guide gives you advice on how to Downsize and declutter your home, talking to your family about what they want—and don’t want Decide whether to stay in your home or move to a retirement community Create wills, trusts, advance directives, and living wills Determine when it’s time to let someone else do the driving Facing the changes that come with aging can be tough, but you can make the most of this special time of your life. Navigating Your Later Years For Dummies, Portable Edition, gives you the information you need to stroll confidently into your future. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: AARP The Other Talk: A Guide to Talking with Your Adult Children about the Rest of Your Life Tim Prosch, Timothy Prosch, 2013-09-03 In collaboration with AARPthe baby boomers guide to having open conversations with their adult children about their later years |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Families Caring for an Aging America National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division, Board on Health Care Services, Committee on Family Caregiving for Older Adults, 2016-12-08 Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving Amy Goyer, 2015 One in four American adult face the challenges of caring for an adult friend or relative. Although caregiving can be a richly rewarding and joyful experience, the role comes with enormous responsibilities-- and pressures. This gentle guide provides practical resources and tips that are easy to find when you need them, whether you're caregiving day to day, planning for future needs, or in the middle of a crisis. Goyer offers insight, inspiration, and poignant stories and experiences of caregivers, including her own as a live-in caregiver for her parents. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Downsizing the Family Home Marni Jameson, 2016-01-05 Sensitively counsels readers on how to downsize a family home filled with a lifetime of memories, sharing practical recommendations for strategies based on the expertise of antiques appraisers, garage-sale gurus, professional organizers and psychologists. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Better Living With Dementia Laura N.Gitlin, Nancy Hodgson, 2018-06-06 Better Living With Dementia: Implications for Individuals, Families, Communities, and Societies highlights evidence-based best practices for improving the lives of patients with dementia. It presents the local and global challenges of these patients, also coupling foundational knowledge with specific strategies to overcome these challenges. The book examines the trajectory of the disease, offers stage-appropriate practices and strategies to improve quality of life, provides theoretical and practical frameworks that inform on ways to support and care for individuals living with dementia, includes evidence-based recommendations for research, and details global examples of care approaches that work. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Residential Design for Aging In Place Drue Lawlor, Michael A. Thomas, 2008-08-18 Consult Residential Design for Aging In Place, the key reference for designing homes for aging people, if you seek to understand how to create effective spaces for the elderly. Interior designers, architects, and homebuilders are increasingly asked by clients to design homes to allow for adaptation over time, and this is the definitive guide, endorsed by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Find case study examples of good design solutions for designing for aging in place from two authors who are highly respected fellows of the ASID. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Eldercare For Dummies Rachelle Zukerman, 2011-03-10 Cope with legal, financial, and medical issues Minimize anxiety and stress and make the later years golden Need help caring for an elderly loved one? This sensitive, reassuring guide provides strategies for assessing older persons' needs, arranging for care, ensuring their safety, and enhancing quality of life - all while respecting their dignity. You'll see how to manage physical disabilities and chronic health problems, evaluate nursing homes, and help elders control their destinies. The Dummies Way * Explanations in plain English * Get in, get out information * Icons and other navigational aids * Tear-out cheat sheet * Top ten lists * A dash of humor and fun |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Caring for Your Parents Hugh Delehanty, Elinor Ginzler, 2008 Practical advice you can trust from the experts at AARP--Cover. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: How to Select a Nursing Home United States. Public Health Service. Office of Nursing Home Affairs, 1976 |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Ensuring Quality and Oversight in Assisted Living United States. Congress. Senate. Special Committee on Aging, 2012 |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Assisted Living in the United States Rosalie A. Kane, Keren Brown Wilson, 1993 |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Health and Medicine Division, Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences, Board on Health Sciences Policy, Committee on the Health and Medical Dimensions of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults, 2020-06-14 Social isolation and loneliness are serious yet underappreciated public health risks that affect a significant portion of the older adult population. Approximately one-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely. People who are 50 years of age or older are more likely to experience many of the risk factors that can cause or exacerbate social isolation or loneliness, such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and sensory impairments. Over a life course, social isolation and loneliness may be episodic or chronic, depending upon an individual's circumstances and perceptions. A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that social isolation presents a major risk for premature mortality, comparable to other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, or obesity. As older adults are particularly high-volume and high-frequency users of the health care system, there is an opportunity for health care professionals to identify, prevent, and mitigate the adverse health impacts of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults summarizes the evidence base and explores how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, particularly among low income, underserved, and vulnerable populations. This report makes recommendations specifically for clinical settings of health care to identify those who suffer the resultant negative health impacts of social isolation and loneliness and target interventions to improve their social conditions. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults considers clinical tools and methodologies, better education and training for the health care workforce, and dissemination and implementation that will be important for translating research into practice, especially as the evidence base for effective interventions continues to flourish. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Improving the Quality of Long-Term Care Institute of Medicine, Division of Health Care Services, Committee on Improving Quality in Long-Term Care, 2001-02-27 Among the issues confronting America is long-term care for frail, older persons and others with chronic conditions and functional limitations that limit their ability to care for themselves. Improving the Quality of Long-Term Care takes a comprehensive look at the quality of care and quality of life in long-term care, including nursing homes, home health agencies, residential care facilities, family members and a variety of others. This book describes the current state of long-term care, identifying problem areas and offering recommendations for federal and state policymakers. Who uses long-term care? How have the characteristics of this population changed over time? What paths do people follow in long term care? The committee provides the latest information on these and other key questions. This book explores strengths and limitations of available data and research literature especially for settings other than nursing homes, on methods to measure, oversee, and improve the quality of long-term care. The committee makes recommendations on setting and enforcing standards of care, strengthening the caregiving workforce, reimbursement issues, and expanding the knowledge base to guide organizational and individual caregivers in improving the quality of care. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Storying Later Life Gary Kenyon, Ernst Bohlmeijer, William L. Randall, 2010-12-20 In its brief but vigorous history, gerontology has spawned a broadening range of specializations. One of the newest of such specializations is narrative gerontology, so named for its emphasis on the biographical, or inside, dimensions of the experience of aging. Telling stories about our world, our relationships, and ourselves is fundamental to how we make meaning. Everything from our history to our religion and our memories to our emotions is linked to the tales we tell ourselves, and others, about where we have come from and where we are going. They are central to who we are. The biographical side of human life is every bit as critical to fathom as the biological side, if we seek a more balanced, positive, and optimistic perspective on what aging is about; if we would honor the dignity and complexity, the humanity and uniqueness of the lives of older persons, no matter what their health or economic standing. In this respect, a narrative approach is particularly suited to the exploration of such topics as meaning, spirituality, and wisdom, and the connections they share. This volume reflects a selection of new directions and insights, and constitutes a general broadening and deepening of narrative gerontology, exploring its implications for theory and research in the field of aging, and for the quality of life of older adults themselves. Such deepening indicates a greater refinement of thought, method, and intervention. The evolution of narrative gerontology is also evidenced by a significant increase in the number of faculty and graduate students engaged in research in this area, as well as by increasing collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and administrators in applying narrative insights to contexts such as long term care - indeed, healthcare in general. These initiatives have given rise to the phrase, narrative care as core care. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Retooling for an Aging America Institute of Medicine, Board on Health Care Services, Committee on the Future Health Care Workforce for Older Americans, 2008-08-27 As the first of the nation's 78 million baby boomers begin reaching age 65 in 2011, they will face a health care workforce that is too small and woefully unprepared to meet their specific health needs. Retooling for an Aging America calls for bold initiatives starting immediately to train all health care providers in the basics of geriatric care and to prepare family members and other informal caregivers, who currently receive little or no training in how to tend to their aging loved ones. The book also recommends that Medicare, Medicaid, and other health plans pay higher rates to boost recruitment and retention of geriatric specialists and care aides. Educators and health professional groups can use Retooling for an Aging America to institute or increase formal education and training in geriatrics. Consumer groups can use the book to advocate for improving the care for older adults. Health care professional and occupational groups can use it to improve the quality of health care jobs. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Getting Your Affairs in Order , 1988 |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Planning For Long-Term Care For Dummies Carol Levine, 2014-03-10 Offers advice and recommendations from AARP experts and other specialists on planning for the financial, medical, legal, and personal aspects of long-term elder care. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: How to Select a Nursing Home United States. Health Standards and Quality Bureau. Division of Long-Term Care, 1981 |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: The Key Facts on Caring For Someone With Alzheimer's Disease Patrick W. Nee, 2013-05-07 The Key Facts on Caring For Someone With Alzheimer’s Disease provides readers with essential, easy-to-read information on Alzheimer’s Disease and the ways to care for your loved ones. Compiled in a simplified manner, this guide helps patients navigate the daily treatment of this painful and debilitating disease without enduring the complicated nature of medical terminology. By making a patient-friendly manual on the activities, resources, and tips on dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease, one can learn the best ways to care for their loved ones and themselves. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: How to Make Your Money Last - Completely Updated for Planning Today Jane Bryant Quinn, 2020-01-07 NOW COMPLETELY UPDATED to reflect the changes in tax legislation, health insurance, and the new investment realities. In this “highly valuable resource” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) Quinn “provides simple, straightforward” (The New York Times) solutions to the universal retirement dilemma—how to make your limited savings last for life—covering mortgages, social security, income investing, annuities, and more! Will you run out of money in your older age? That’s the biggest worry for people newly retired or planning to retire. Fortunately, you don’t have to plan in the dark. Jane Bryant Quinn tells you how to squeeze a higher income from all your assets—including your social security account (get every dollar you’re entitled to), a pension (discover whether a lump sum or a lifetime monthly income will pay you more), your home equity (sell, rent, or take a reverse mortgage?), savings (how to use them safely to raise your monthly income), retirement accounts (invest the money for growth in ways that let you sleep at night), and—critically—how much of your savings you can afford to spend every year without running out. There are easy ways to figure all this out. Who knew? Quinn also shows you how to evaluate your real risks. If you stick with super-safe investment choices, your money might not last and your lifestyle might erode. The same might be true if you rely on traditional income investments. Quinn rethinks the meaning of “income investing,” by combining reliable cash flow during the early years of your retirement with low-risk growth investments, to provide extra money for your later years. Odds are, you’ll live longer than you might imagine, meaning that your savings will stretch for many more years than you might have planned for. With the help of this book, you can turn those retirement funds into a “homemade” paycheck that will last for life. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Aging in the Right Place Stephen M. Golant, 2015 Highlights the profound significance of where older people live and receive care. This book explores many pathways to thriving in old age, ranging from aging in place to moving to housing and care settings specially tailored to match a person's lifestyle and vulnerabilities.--Provided by publisher. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Quality of Life and Well-Being for Residents in Long-Term Care Communities Jennifer L. Johs-Artisensi, Kevin E. Hansen, 2022-06-06 This book explores key factors long-term care recipients have identified as impacting their quality of life and offers programmatic and policy recommendations to enhance well-being within long-term care communities. Leadership and staff who work in nursing homes and other residential care communities serve as gatekeepers to resident well-being, often without recognizing how residents’ quality of life is impacted by their decision-making. This book takes a life domain approach to build on research-based studies that document key drivers of care recipients’ quality of life, including relationships, autonomy and respect, activities and meals, environment, and care. Using a framework that enhances understanding of resident quality of life, it outlines practical, programmatic, and policy suggestions for long-term care stakeholders, such as administrators, managers, front-line staff, family members, and policy-makers, whose directives and actions impact the lived experience of long-term care residents. As such, this book serves as a roadmap for leaders and managers of long-term care communities, along with policymakers who regulate health and human services, to best structure care environments to maximize quality of life and well-being for long-term care recipients. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: New Possibilities in Memory Care Loren Shook, Stephen Winner, 2017-05-18 This is the remarkable story of the Silverado journey in the field of long term care for the memory impaired. Founded by Shook, Winner and Smith. Silverado has grown to become a national leader in the field. It tells the story of how their unique approach offers the memory impaired, the dignity, care and quality of life they deserve. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: AARP The Scientific American Healthy Aging Brain Judith Horstman, 2012-05-22 AARP Digital Editions offer you practical tips, proven solutions, and expert guidance. Scientific American and Scientific American Mind have good news about getting older! AARP The Scientific American Healthy Aging Brain taps into the most current research to present a realistic and encouraging view of the well-aged brain, a sobering look at what can go wrong––and at what might help you and your brain stay healthy longer. Neurologists and psychologists have discovered the aging brain is much more elastic and supple than previously thought, and that happiness actually increases with age. While our short-term memory may not be what it was, dementia is not inevitable. Far from disintegrating, the elder brain can continue to develop and adapt in many ways and stay sharp as it ages. Offers new insights on how an aging brain can repair itself, and the five best strategies for keeping your brain healthy Shows how older brains can acquire new skills, perspective, and productivity Dispels negative myths about aging Explores what to expect as our brains grow older With hope and truth, this book helps us preserve what we’ve got, minimize what we’ve lost, and optimize the vigor and health of our maturing brains. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers Barry J. Jacobs, 2006-03-17 Caring for a parent whose health is in decline turns the world upside down. The emotional fallout can be devastating, but it doesn't have to be that way. Empathic guidance from an expert who's been there can help. Through an account of two sisters and their ailing mother--interwoven with no-nonsense advice--The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers helps family members navigate tough decisions and make the most of their time together as they care for an aging parent. The author urges readers to be honest about the level of commitment they're able to make and emphasizes the need for clear communication within the family. While acknowledging their guilt, stress, and fatigue, he helps caregivers reaffirm emotional connections worn thin by the routine of daily care. This compassionate book will help families everywhere avoid burnout and preserve bonds during one of life's most difficult passages. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: MediCaring Communities Joanne Lynn, 2016-06-16 Americans want a long life and most of us will get to live into our 80's and beyond, but we have not squarely faced the challenges of living well in the last years of long lives. This book lays out a thoroughly pragmatic way to organize service delivery and financing so that Americans could count on living comfortably and meaningfully through the period of disability and illness that most will experience in the last years of life - all at a cost that families and taxpayers can sustain. MediCaring Communities offers to customize care around the priorities of elders and their families and to manage the local care system so it is reliable and efficient.Three out of four of us will need long-term care. The period of needing someone's help every day now lasts more than two years, on average. Most of us will not have saved enough to get through this part of life without financial help from family or government - indeed, we'll spend almost half of our total lifetime healthcare expenditures in this last part of life, mostly on personal care that is not covered by Medicare. We have not yet required housing to be modified for living with disabilities or secured a ready supply of home-delivered food, and we certainly have not required medical care to focus on the patient and family priorities in order to enable the last years to be meaningful and comfortable. Family caregiving will be a crisis as families become smaller, more dispersed, older, and facing inadequate retirement income for the younger generation. MediCaring Communities improve care by building care plans around the health needs and living situation of the elderly person and family, and especially from respecting their choices about priorities. The improvements in service delivery arise from integrating supportive services at home with customized medical care and installing local monitoring and management. The improvements in finance arise from harvesting savings from the current overuse of medical tests and treatments in this part of life. These come together in MediCaring Communities.Strong evidence supports each component, but the real strength is in the combination, where savings support critical community-based services, communities build the necessary environment, and elders and their families craft their course with the help of interdisciplinary teams. This book lays it out, using expansion of PACE (The Program of All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly) as the test case. The book provides a strong and complete guide to serious reform, and just in time for the aging of the Boomers which will escalate the needs dramatically during the 2030's. Now is the time to act.Advance Praise for MediCaring CommunitiesFor decades, Joanne Lynn's has been the clearest, strongest, most soulful voice in America for modernizing the ways in which we care for frail elders. This essential book is her masterpiece. It offers a magisterial, evidence-based vision of that new care, and an entirely plausible pathway for reaching it. Facing a tsunami of aging, our nation simply cannot afford to ignore this counsel.-Donald M. Berwick, MD, President Emeritus and Senior Fellow, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and former Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.MediCaring Communities integrates good geriatrics and long-term services and supports, and building upon an expanded PACE program can be a tangible start. We should try this!-Jennie Chin Hansen, Lead in Developing PACE; Past President, AARP; and Past CEO of On Lok Senior Health Services and the American Geriatrics Society. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Be Your Own Hero Catherine Owens, 2013-11-07 Your Dreams Are Still AliveThe decisions we make from our heart, using good guidance and information, are often the best ones. Our culture focuses on reactionary health care rather than proactive life decisions. Often, we wait until there is a crisis before we really address the root cause. This approach can be devastating if we wait too long to choose a positive living environment. The answer is to seek the best quality of life in our aging years.THIS BOOK WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO:?Make proactive, educated decisions versus reactive, crisis-driven decisions?Identify the key influencers and their roles in the decision process?Define independence and what it means to you |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Alzheimer's & Dementia For Dummies American Geriatrics Society (AGS), Health in Aging Foundation, 2016-04-25 Your sensitive, authoritative guide to Alzheimer's and dementia If a loved one has recently been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease, it's only natural to feel fraught with fear and uncertainty about what lies ahead. Fortunately, you don't have to do it alone. This friendly and authoritative guide is here to help you make smart, informed choices throughout the different scenarios you'll encounter as a person caring for someone diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease. From making sense of a diagnosis to the best ways to cope with symptoms, Alzheimer's and Dementia For Dummies is the trusted companion you can count on as you navigate your way through this difficult landscape. Affecting one's memory, thinking, and behavior, dementia and Alzheimer's disease can't be prevented, cured, or slowed—but a diagnosis doesn't mean you have to be left helpless! Inside, you'll find out how to make sense of the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, understand the stages of the illnesses, and, most importantly, keep your loved one safe and comfortable—no matter how severe their symptoms are. Find out what to expect from Alzheimer's and dementia Discover what to keep in mind while caring for someone with Alzheimer's or dementia Uncover symptoms, causes, and risk factors of Alzheimer's and dementia Learn the critical information needed to help manage these illnesses Whether you're new to caring for a person affected by Alzheimer's or dementia or just looking for some answers and relief on your journey, this is the trusted resource you'll turn to again and again. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Assisted Living United States. Congress. Senate. Special Committee on Aging, 2003 |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: AARP Allergic Girl Sloane Miller, 2012-04-19 AARP Digital Editions offer you practical tips, proven solutions, and expert guidance. AARP Allergic Girl is an indispensable guide for living a full life with food allergies--from an Allergic Girl who lives it. Millions of Americans concerned about adverse reactions to food are seeking the advice of medical professionals and receiving a diagnosis of food allergies. Allergic Girl Sloane Miller, a leading authority on food allergies, has been allergic since childhood. She now lives a full, enjoyable life full of dining out, dating, attending work functions, and traveling. With tested strategies and practical solutions to everyday food allergy concerns, Allergic Girl shows how readers can enjoy their lives too. Informed by personal narratives laced with humor and valuable insights, Allergic Girl is a breakthrough lifestyle guide for food-allergic adults, their families, and loved ones. In Allergic Girl, you will discover: How to find the best allergist and get a correct diagnosis How to create positive relationships with family, friends, and food How to build a safe environment wherever you are Real-world scenarios scripted from the author's life as well her work with clients and other leaders in the field Enjoy your food-allergic life to the fullest. Let Allergic Girl show you how. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Aging with a Plan Sharona Hoffman, 2015-05-12 This book offers a concise, comprehensive resource for middle-aged readers who are facing the prospects of their own aging and of caring for elderly relativesan often overwhelming task for which little in life prepares us. Everyone ages, and nearly everyone will also experience having to support aging relatives. Being prepared is the best way to handle this inevitable life stage. This book addresses a breadth of topics that are relevant to aging and caring for the elderly, analyzing each thoroughly and providing up-to-date, practical advice. It can serve as a concise and comprehensive resource read start-to-finish to plan for an individual's own old age or to anticipate the needs of aging relatives, or as a quick-reference guide on specific issues and topics as relevant to each reader's situation and needs. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Aging with a Plan: How a Little Thought Today Can Vastly Improve Your Tomorrow develops recommendations for building sustainable social, legal, medical, and financial support systems that can promote a good quality of life throughout the aging process. Chapters address critical topics such as retirement savings and expenses, residential settings, legal planning, the elderly and driving, long-term care, and end-of-life decisions. The author combines analysis of recent research on the challenges of aging with engaging anecdotes and personal observations. By following the recommendations in this book, readers in their 40s, 50s, and early 60s will greatly benefit from learning about the issues regarding aging in the 21st centuryand from investing some effort in planning for their old age and that of their loved ones. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Talking with Your Doctor , 2000 |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Making Tough Decisions about End-of-Life Care in Dementia Anne Kenny, 2018-09-03 Practical, essential advice about making tough decisions for people with end-stage dementia. Each year, more than 500,000 people are diagnosed with dementia in the United States. As stunning as that figure is, countless family members and caregivers are also affected by each diagnosis. Families are faced with the need to make vital end-of-life decisions about medical treatment, legal and financial matters, and living situations for those who no longer can; no one is prepared for this process. And many caregivers grapple with sadness, confusion, guilt, anger, and physical and mental exhaustion as dementia enters its final stage. In Making Tough Decisions about End-of-Life Care in Dementia, Dr. Anne Kenny, a skilled palliative care physician, describes how to navigate the difficult journey of late-stage dementia with sensitivity, compassion, and common sense. Combining her personal experience caring for a mother with dementia with her medical expertise in both dementia and end-of-life care, Dr. Kenny helps the reader prepare for a family member's death while managing their own emotional health. Drawing on stories of families that Dr. Kenny has worked with to illustrate common issues, concerns, and situations that occurs in late-stage dementia, this book includes practical advice about • making life-altering decisions while preparing for a loved one's inevitable death • medical care, pain, insomnia, medication, and eating • caring for the caregiver • having conversations about difficult topics with other family members and with health care, legal, and financial professionals Concrete to-do lists and lists of important points provide information at a glance for busy caregivers. Each chapter concludes with a list of additional resources for more information and help. Making Tough Decisions about End-of-Life Care in Dementia is a lifeline, an invaluable guide to assist in the late stage of dementia. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Planning For Long-Term Care For Dummies Carol Levine, 2014-02-19 Expert advice on planning for your own or a relative’s future care needs As we live longer and healthier lives, planning for the long term has never been more important. Planning gives you more control, but it’s not easy to find accurate information and answers to your questions. That’s where AARP’s Planning For Long-Term Care For Dummies comes in. This comprehensive guide gives you questions to ask yourself and others about how best to achieve your goals, whether you have immediate needs or can take some time to sort out the possibilities. The book Covers home modifications so that you can stay at home safely for as long as you like Lays out the opportunities and costs associated with independent living, assisted living, and other options Gives you a range of driving and transportation alternatives Sorts out the various sources of care at home Helps you navigate the healthcare system Reviews the legal documents you should prepare and update Helps you determine whether you need long-term care insurance Offers checklists and other resources to help you make decisions Gives you guidance on how to talk to your family about sensitive issues If you're looking for trusted information on how to prepare for the future care needs for yourself or a relative, this sensitive, realistic, and authoritative guide will start you on the right road. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Disrupt Aging Jo Ann Jenkins, 2016-04-05 Discover the inspiring national bestseller about aging and health that will help us all live each year to the fullest (Sheryl Sandberg). We've all seen the ads on TV and in magazines-50 is the new 30! or 60 is the new 40! A nice sentiment to be sure, but CEO of AARP Jo Ann Jenkins disagrees. 50 is 50, and she, for one, likes the look of it. In Disrupt Aging, Jenkins focuses on three core areas-health, wealth, and self-to show us how to embrace opportunities and change the way we look at getting older. Here, she chronicles her own journey and that of others who are making their mark as disruptors to show readers how we can be active, healthy, and happy as we get older. Through this powerful and engaging narrative, she touches on all the important issues facing people 50+ today, from caregiving and mindful living to building age-friendly communities and making our money last. This is a book for all the makers and doers who have a desire to continue exploring possibilities, to celebrate discovery over decline, and to seek out opportunities to live the best life there is. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: How to Care for Aging Parents Virginia Morris, 2004-10-15 Thoroughly updated and expanded, a compassionate, single-volume reference to the many emotional, legal, financial, medical, and logistical issues associated with caring for aging parents covers such areas as nursing homes, finances, finding a good doctor, legal arrangements, redefining parental relationships, and handling emotional challenges. Original. |
| aarp questions to ask assisted living: Patient Safety and Quality Ronda Hughes, 2008 Nurses play a vital role in improving the safety and quality of patient car -- not only in the hospital or ambulatory treatment facility, but also of community-based care and the care performed by family members. Nurses need know what proven techniques and interventions they can use to enhance patient outcomes. To address this need, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), with additional funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has prepared this comprehensive, 1,400-page, handbook for nurses on patient safety and quality -- Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. (AHRQ Publication No. 08-0043). - online AHRQ blurb, http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nurseshdbk/ |
Touring Checklist: Assisted Living - A Place for Mom
Simplify your senior living search by using our expert facility tour checklists. Learn how to confidently evaluate communities, ask questions, and stay organized during tours. Created Date
Questions to Ask When You Visit a Nursing Home - Medicare
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Aarp Questions To Ask Assisted Living Full PDF - x-plane.com
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This checklist provides essential questions to ask during your visit to ensure the residence meets your lifestyle, needs, and preferences. LOCATION. What amenities are in the neighbourhood? …
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Assisted Living: What to Ask - vermontcommunities4all.org
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25 Questions to Ask when Touring an Assisted Living Community 1. Can you describe the staff-to-resident ratio at your facility? Asking about the staff-to-resident ratio is essential because it …
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Aarp Questions To Ask Assisted Living Copy - x-plane.com
in This comprehensive guide gives you questions to ask yourself and others about how best to achieve your goals whether you have immediate needs or can take some time to sort out the …
Assisted Living in the United States - AARP
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Aarp Questions To Ask Assisted Living [PDF] - x-plane.com
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focuses on the questions concerning assisted living facilities including: • Members’ preference for long-term care • Importance to members of staying in assisted living rather than going to a …
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Simplify your senior living search by using our expert facility tour checklists. Learn how to confidently evaluate communities, ask questions, and …
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Whether you’re searching for assisted living, all-inclusive assisted living, or independent living, asking the right questions is extremely important. …
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Not all assisted living communities provide all levels of care, so it is important to learn what services are available. Questions you can ask: • …
