Age Friendly Assisted Living Centers | Distance Learning Systems (DLSI)

In Search for an Assisted Living

Assisted living centers are medical facilities intended for those who have disabilities. This is where those who are in some ways incapacitated placed so that they can receive proper medical care. Recently, assisted living centers have become instituted to ensure that the special needs of the disabled are taken care of. But a relative (or someone who is responsible for the person), it would be appropriate to take a closer look at how and why this is the place for your disabled loved ones.

Reflect First
Your decision to have assisted living for your disabled relative is crucial before going into its parameters. There are families who simply can’t attend to these people and have relegated to the medical staff their responsibility over their relative. Be sure you have the right a reason for choosing assisted living and that is to treat and take care of your disabled relative more closely.

How About Your Needs
Consider all options before going into assisted living. You may have time management issues as of late, a reason why you choose to lodge your disabled relative inside an assisted living center. But you must have anticipated that you can’t keep up the bill in the long run. Assisted living centers are just as suitable homes for your disabled relative, but take a closer look at your resources first before you decide to use the services of assisted living.

As Much As Possible, Get Referrals
Ask and get referrals from those who have had experiences with assisted living. It pays to do your research before delving into something. Better still, ask for a list of assisted living centers and choose from among them which best suits your disabled relative. Always keep in mind that assisted living is only made possible with your love and support. They need that even more while they are on assisted living.

Some Basics About Assisted Living Centers

What is assisted living?
According to Wikipedia, “An assisted living residence or assisted living facility (ALF) is a housing facility for people with disabilities. These facilities provide supervision or assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs); coordination of services by outside health care providers; and monitoring of resident activities to help to ensure their health, safety, and well-being.”

Generally, an assisted living center is a residential care facility that provides nursing services to patients with extra medical needs. However, the facility covers a wide range of assistance that includes personal care, supervision, and administration of prescribed medicines.

Who are qualified to stay in the facility?
Not all people are qualified to stay in the facility to avoid congestion of patients. Senior citizens, person with disability and individuals with medical needs are the only people who are allowed to stay in an assisted living center. All of them are called assisted living residents or those people who needs more assistance for the activities of daily living.

How much does it cost?
Ideally, assisted living centers will cost residents for about three to four thousand dollars a month. But majority of assisted living centers charge residents according to their desired nursing services. The more care they need, the more they will be charged.

What to expect in assisted living centers?
Assisted living facilities can provide a 24/7 nursing service which includes daily health monitoring, hygienic measures, dementia care, unlimited meal service, housekeeping, and emergency care. Physician and nurses can provide help to every patient living in the health center.

What is the most important thing to know about assisted living centers?
The center is all about giving care and aides. It is about the staff giving maximum care to the patients. Most staffs in assisted living centers think of their patients as their own family.

The Benefits Of Assisted Living Centers

Assisted living care is to help those individuals that are in need of assistance. This program can be a big help to our elderly people. Most of them do not have any capacity to do their regular routines. In assisted living care they can get the support they need while remaining independent as much as possible.

As elderly people, it is difficult for them to leave their homes because there are a lot of memories that they will leave behind. But thinking about what is best for them, assisted living centers are the best place to ensure that their senior years are spent happily and safely.

An assisted living facility is a good choice if an elderly needs more personal care services. It has personalized plans that meet their needs and accommodate their disabilities while giving them the freedom to do their personal things. Most facilities have a group dining area and common areas for social and recreational activities. Having an active social life is very vital for the health and happiness of elderly people. The community environment of assisted living centers gives opportunities for them to meet new friends. Moreover, assisted living centers also provide a home-like atmosphere. They also offer transportation, so that elderlies can go anywhere they want to go without relying on their family and friends.

There are a lot of benefits that elderly people can get if they choose to be part of an assisted living care program. This is intended for them. The program is designed to make their lives easier and comfortable without depriving their freedom to do their personal things. However, facilities should be closely examined to make sure that it offers the exact services that elderly people need for their well-being.

Signs To Look Out For Before Considering Assisted Living Centers

When you were little, your parents were the ones who took care of you. From making sure you were eating properly down to bathing you every day. Therefore, moving a parent into an assisted living center is one of the hardest and heart-wrenching decisions of your life. You feel guilty because you want to return the care that your parents gave you. However, guilt is the last thing you need to feel when considering assisted living for your parents. Always remember that in an assisted living center, they are provided assistance to make sure they are safe and healthy.

Unlike a nursing home, assisted living centers do not provide medical care such as treatment for specific conditions or diseases, making it appealing as they offer a relatively high level of independence. In fact, residing in an assisted living center is similar to having a private apartment but with an added perk that a trained staff is on hand to help your loved one when necessary.

But when is it the right time to decide when to move a parent to an assisted living center? Take a good look at the present housing situation, health status, and medical needs. If your parent is telling you that they are eating but you see food go bad in the refrigerator. If your parent is covering up bruises from a fall. If your parent cannot bathe themselves, groom adequately and launder clothes. If they forget to turn the appliances when they are finished cooking. And if you do not see the same bright and vibrant person they used to be years ago. These are some of the sure signs that tell you it is time for you to make that decision.

All of us care for our parents. And moving a parent to an assisted living center does not make us care for them any less.

Choosing an Assisted Living for the Mentally Ill

Assisted Living is usually associated with senior care, but it can also be treatment care for adults who have mental illnesses. These centers provide special care, along with housing, support, and treatment under a residential setting.

Things to Consider
Oftentimes, the family makes a firm decision to recognize the need for residential care. The family might have lost control over behavior over the mentally ill or personal efforts are just not enough. Whatever reason for transmission, there are some things you need to consider when choosing an assisted living center:

Psychiatric Needs
Not all assisted living centers specializes the treatment for certain mental illnesses. So, look for one that concentrates and specializes on your family member’s needs. You can always discuss with your health care advisor regarding their specific needs.
Location
The most preferred facility is the one nearest your home. However, mental health experts tell otherwise. They believe that the farther the home, the more progress a person can get and finding their one’s self again.
Features
It is of great importance to shop around and look for facilities as many as you can. Having more options can make way for comparison and better decision-making. Make sure to know the features of each facilities and if they can cater the specific needs of your family member.
Cost
Health insurance usually covers cost for treatment and housing in assisted living centers, while others do not. Depending on your insurance policy, you can ask them if they can provide financial assistance. If you have no insurance, you can find a rich source of referrals for affordable treatment from your State’s health centers. In special cases where mental illness is due to abuse, several government programs offer financial aid.

The Assisted Living Facility

As your parent or loved one get old, it becomes undeniably difficult to care for them knowing that you already have your own family to take care also. You might be considering getting help at home from professional health care providers. However, this might be a very expensive option for you. Another option will be bringing them to assisted living centers.

There are many assisted living facilities in the United States who provides the best geriatric nursing care. Most of these institutions have employed professionals like practical nurses and registered nurses. It is an advantage for old people who have no one to take care of them full time. Assisted living centers guarantee that your loved ones will be taken care of.

It may be a very stressful experience to place your parent or loved ones in a home care facility. This will sometimes put you in a dilemma whether or not it is the best decision. However, before choosing the right assisted living facility for you, check on your options:

Choosing the right assisted living center for you.

There are many assisted living facilities in the United States. It is important to consider the facilities that are nearest you. Your loved ones will appreciate it more if you can still find the time to visit them. It is best that you choose a facility that will be accessible to you.

Another important matter to consider is the facility of the institution. Knowing that the center has facilities to provide the care that your loved ones need will certainly give you the assurance that they are in good hands.

Above all, and the most important matter to consider are the people who work in the nursing home facility. You will feel more at ease and worry-free when you know that the people who you trusted your loved one to, gives them the best care that they need. Choose an assisted living center that gives a certain atmosphere that is comfortable, friendly, and caring. Look at the staff of these centers and try to evaluate if you can confidently entrust your loved one to them.

Myths with Assisted Living Centers

When you are about to choose a senior care option for your loved one, you perceive ideas about the assisted living centers. Your perceptions and ideas are brought by the media who highlighted the negative accounts about these facilities. A single bad story about a living center will surely affect everything. The media tends to focus on the bad side of things. Not everything you heard on the news are true for all. There are good senior care facilities that have quality care services.

To help you decide, let’s talk about the common myths you’ve heard about assisted living centers. First myth: Assisted living centers won’t accept patients with urinary incontinence and those who are in a wheelchair.

It is true that patients must be able to move on their own, but wheelchairs are not prohibited, as long as they are able to transfer from the bed to the wheelchair or vice versa with the help of another person. Patients who needs two people to move or can no longer bear weight are not accepted. This is because the assisted living centers are not licensed to provide such services.

Patients who experience urinary incontinence are typically accepted as long as their situation can be supervised with toilet scheduling, using incontinence products and reminders on a constant basis. If bowel incontinence turns out to be an issue and cannot be handled properly, this may require an alternative care setting as the circumstance may affect other patients.

Another myth is that Medicare will take care of all expenses in the assisted living centers. Medicare does not cover non-skilled care services like assistance with activities of daily living, specifically bathing, medication management, dressing, toileting and transportation. The Medicare cover skilled nursing services, however in most cases, the assisted living centers prefers private pay (cash) or long term insurances.

Regulating Assisted Living Centers

Assisted living centers are a type of assisted living facility which offers care services for eleven or more people. They have bigger facilities and equipped with basic medical equipments as well as with regular nurses or staff that will assist the patients. The purpose of these living centers is to offer personalized and patient-centered care which will focus on the needs and preferences of an individual. Though these centers have medical staff that will monitor and support the patients, they encourage the family members to be involved.

One of the basic needs of any individual is emotional connection which requires a family member’s presence. However, not all assisted living centers have been good with their services. There are many complaints from the residents and the family members. There are those who neglect some needs of the seniors like assistance in going to the bathroom, certain type of food or grooming. To ensure the compliance and to investigate complaints, an inspection is conducted once or twice a year. The Office of the Assisted Living Licensing monitors and regulates all assisted living centers all throughout the country.

The monitoring is usually unannounced to make sure that what they see during the visit is not a result of any preparation. The office can cancel licenses or penalized depending on the result of their investigation. By doing this, they are able to regulate the quality of performance of the assisted living centers. They also keep records and files regarding these centers which are open for public viewing. If you are looking for a good assisted living center for your loved one, you can access the files and ask for guidance and advice. Regulations will help improve the quality and the condition of the residents, but regular and constant evaluation will avoid mistreatment and bad practices of the assisted living centers.

Assisted Living Centers Reform Bill

AB 1554 would force Community Care Licensing to begin investigation of problems including abuse, neglect, or serious harm to assisted living centers residents within 24 hours and to complete this most important investigation within 30 days. Assembly member Nancy Skinner’s regulation to change the state’s defective program used to examine problems of neglect and abuse within California’s 7,500 mature care homes was approved this week by the Set up Human Services Panel on a single, bipartisan elect.

Responding to the scandal at Valley Springs Manor in Castro Valley, where 19 senior citizens were abandoned by the home care owner and reports stating problems in management and administration regarding California’s residential care features for the seniors, Skinner introduced AB 1554 to enhance the investigation and complaint procedure. The bill is part of a package of changes subsidized by the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform. “No longer will problems of abuse and neglect be taken under the rug. The terrible occurrence at the Castro Valley care service was avoidable,” Skinner, of Berkeley, said. “We know now that more powerful measures are needed to ensure the safety of our most vulnerable.”

Media reviews have exposed problems in the Community Care Licensing (CCL) issue investigation program exposing a design of superficial investigation, poor interaction with complainants and weak administration. At the hearing, Eric Boice, of Colfax, recounted how the issue and investigation procedure failed his mom, a former primary school instructor clinically identified as having Alzheimer’s. Boice said his mom passed away in 2009 as a result of the abuse and neglect she received while at an assisted living service in Auburn, California. “The investigation procedure was a joke,” Boice said. “We had proof and content information supporting our claims of abuse, yet the state organization did not demand any more information nor did they get in touch with our lawyer. My family’s experience is a sad commentary on our region’s capability to secure residents in assisted living centers.”

Common Medication Errors in Assisted Living Centers

Medication errors, such as providing the wrong prescription, providing the wrong dose and unable to identify negative side effects, are some of the most common healthcare errors. While they can occur in any healthcare setting, a new review shows that they are particularly frequent in assisted living centers. The review, prepared by U-T Watch dog and the CHCF Center for Health Reporting at the University of Southern California, discovered at least 80 instances where assisted living centers ignored serious health problems, applied wrong medications, or otherwise did not provide proper medical care. Even more concerning, the research exposed 27 fatalities from injuries and neglect at centers located in San Diego County.

According to UT-San Diego, “Regulators discovered four patient medication errors during a visit to a home in Oceanside, such as one case in which a citizen was given four times the recommended amount. The home was penalized $150, the maximum allowed by state law.” In another occurrence, a La Jolla patient required treatment in the E. R. after being given a medicine intended for another citizen. The short-term caseworker providing the drug recognized the recipient by his first name only.

For San Diego medical malpractice lawyers, the review is worrying, particularly given that sufferers in assisted living centers are some of the most fragile. For tips to protect you and your loved ones from this type of carelessness, there are plenty of articles that can be found in the internet. You can also consult a physician regarding this matter. If you or someone you love has experienced from healthcare neglect, don’t think twice to contact a medical malpractice attorney for a free assessment.