When families are looking for an assisted living facility for their aging loved ones, they are often impressed with the new, larger facilities. But as the old saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover.
While these newer, often chain, facilities may look good on the outside. The more important factor for people to consider is how their loves ones will be cared for.
As the owner/manager of Country Home Assisted Living in Parker, Colo., for 18 years, I know first-hand how much better the care can be at a small assisted living home.
First of all, a smaller facility tends to have a more attentive staff that will notice any changes in a resident’s health, mood, urinary functions, eating habits etc., much sooner than a larger facility where nursing care is spread across many more people.
A smaller staff really gets to know its residents and their behaviors. A smaller staff also doesn’t have to go through corporate red tape or other hoops before taking action.
At my eight-bed assisted living facility in Parker, I will take prompt action, calling a family member or doctor, whatever is necessary, to get our residents back to their normal way of living.
Our reaction time is better because we don’t have to go through a committee or fill out a ton of paperwork to do something. We also are limited to eight residents, so personalized care is much easier to achieve.
In addition to a quicker reaction time, smaller facilities offer a much more intimate experience. The residents at Country Home Assisted Living become part of my family. My staff and I get to know them well. We get to know their families. It’s a much more intimate, involved relationship.
Smaller facilities also are a lot more like home. At Country Home, for example, residents receive home-cooked meals – not institutional food. And there are two small dogs to keep them entertained and smiling.
Finally, a smaller facility probably is more affordable and probably accepts Medicaid patients, which is something that can’t always be said for the new, larger corporate assisted living facilities.
So if you’re looking for assisted living for you or a loved one, don’t judge a book by its cover. Make sure you to take time to visit the smaller facilities, many of which are homes in residential neighborhoods, before you make your final decision.