Know your options

 We start and end with you, you are ALWAYS the final decision maker. 

 Independent living Facilities are good options for healthy seniors who are self-sufficient and do not need help with daily tasks. Independent Living allows active retirees to retain control over their own schedules and care but still have convenient access to professional services and amenities, such as hairdressers, transportation and social activities, if they want them. 

 Assisted Living Facilities provide individualized health and personal care assistance with an emphasis on personal dignity, autonomy, independence and privacy. Facilities can be large apartment-like settings or private residences. Services include meals, bathing, dressing, toileting and administering or supervising medication.

People who live in newer assisted living facilities usually have their own private room or apartment. However it is not uncommon to find those facilities with shared rooms (usually at a lesser price). There is usually no special medical monitoring equipment that one would find in a nursing home, and the nursing staff may not be available at all hours. Trained staff is usually on-site around the clock to provide other needed services.

 Often, an assisted living facility will also provide for a memory care program for those who suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Some facilities might offer limited help while others may give comprehensive medical care and supervision for which they are equipped. Staff members are educated in the disease process and its management. The goal is to simplify and enhance your loved one’s life and to help you find the peace of mind you deserve.

An Engagement Therapy Treatment Program is usually designed specifically for each resident living with memory loss. This approach integrates unique life experiences of the past with present interests. These programs are typically based on your loved one’s functional abilities and help maximize these abilities in a therapeutic environment.

When your loved one experiences the final stages of the disease, John Steele Referral Service can help you locate a compassionate hospice care for you, your family and your loved one (paid for entirely by Medicare).

A Skilled Nursing Facility is a nursing home certified to participate in, and be reimbursed by Medicare should the patient qualify. It is usually for a limited period of time. Medicare is the federal program primarily for those residents sixty-five years old and older who contributed to Social Security and Medicare while they were employed. Medicaid is the federal program implemented with each state to provide health care and related services to those who are below the poverty line.

 A Nursing Home is a residential care facility that provides round-the-clock medical care for people who need long-term assistance with daily living, offering the most extensive care a person can get outside a hospital. They offer custodial care (bathing, getting dressed, eating, etc.) as well as skilled care (medical monitoring and treatments). Skilled care also includes services provided by specially trained professionals, such as physical, occupational, and respiratory therapists. Every Texas nursing facility must maintain a sufficient staff to provide nursing and related services. These services must follow the plan of care agreed upon by both the residents and the facility.

While Texas law does not require a certain number of staff members to be on duty, it does have requirements about the qualifications of available staff. The law requires that each nursing home, no matter the size, have a registered nurse on duty for at least eight hours a day, seven days a week. 

Below is a list of basic considerations I explore when I visit a facility. I would begin with these if I were searching for a home for my own mom or dad. They may or may not apply to your particular circumstance but are still good food for thought. Many of these pertain more to Assisted Living, but may prompt questions that could apply to Independent Living. 

The first meeting with a staff member is the beginning of your relationship with the facility. Don’t take anything for granted. Ask questions. Ask a lot of questions. There are no stupid questions. Take notes. Ask again if you don’t understand the answers. You are the buyer and you are buying for your most prized possession - your loved one. You would test drive a car wouldn’t you? Kick some tires!

Remember, your loved-one will not be living in that beautiful entry area you first see. Although paint, fabric, chandeliers and grand pianos are impressive, your decision should be based on their comfort, safety and the quality of care.