Seniors For Living

That dreaded phone call in the middle of the night. A subsequent trip to the ER. Long hours of worrying and wondering in the waiting room. When a medical crisis hits, families are often forced into a quick decision about assisted living.

Maybe as the primary caregiver you’ve done some planning. You’ve had conversations with the person you’re caring for, have asked what he or she prefers should the need for care arise.

Most, however, are not prepared.

Choosing a quality assisted living community when your time is limited (and you and your family are under this kind of stress) is not the best way to make such a major decision. Consider these tips for finding the best place, quickly:

1. Delegate tasks; don’t try to do it all yourself. Once you’ve found a few places to check out, have your siblings, children and other family members visit on your behalf.
2. Take advantage of time in the waiting room. Browse listings via your laptop, iPhone or other portable device. Call your loved one’s primary care physician, friends and neighbors for their recommendations. Ask the doctors and nurses in the hospital for their opinions. Schedule visits at communities of interest.
3. Can’t find the right place? Make arrangements for home care to allow for more time to search and evaluate; don’t rush into the decision.

Read our posts, The Signs of a Quality Assisted Living Community and Tips for Finding Quality Assisted Living Care, for more guidance.