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When a family is embarking on the challenge of finding appropriate, usually immediate housing for their elderly loved one, it would really be helpful to know what to look for and from what to stay away. There of course are a few categories one is considering. They are: Independent Housing, Assisted Living, Board and Care homes, and Alzheimer's facilities. When one chooses a Nursing Home/Skilled Nursing Facility/Convalescent Home, the loved ones of that elderly person aren't really evaluating pros and cons, they simply are reacting to the immediate medical condition. A Board and Care home usually has six residents and two to three caregivers. It is best to look for homes that have similar residents in terms of functionality and level of alertness. Sometimes, one person may own several board and care homes with each home having an area of specialization, i.e., one where the residents are alert, and another with memory impaired residents. It is helpful to keep in mind that with only six residents, the departure of one resident or two can alter dramatically the "feel" of the home. Conversely, when one or two new residents come to live in the home, the tempo of the home can shift in a new direction. A family should look for the home to provide some level of activities offered to the residents. Activities can take on various forms depending on how functioning the residents are. There are walks around the board and care's neighborhood, stretches in chairs, card games, and visits to a nearby shopping center, visits to theatres and restaurants or visits from organizations and musicians to add some cheer to the home. Holidays can be a very uplifting time for Board and Care homes with all the decorations and community volunteers dropping by. Look for a home that has these special touches in place. Stable caregivers are crucial to the success of a well run Board and Care home. A family must ask how long the caregivers have been at that home. Get an understanding of their hours and their days off. Look to see the dynamic between residents and caregiver to determine if the care provided is warm and genuine. Do the caregivers speak another language? Make sure the language spoken by the caregivers is one the residents understand. A resident who is having trouble understanding their caregiver due to a heavy accent can make them feel very isolated and anxious about their future care. Are the caregivers given enough breaks or vacations? You want these employees to be happy, well rested and respected by their employers and by the people for whom they are providing care. Also, make sure to ask if the board and care home has "awake" staff at night, to repeatedly check on the residents to make sure they're all right through the night. Is the Board and Care home cutting corners that make good business sense or is this a sign of things to come? One family called and needed to move their mother because the home had undergone yet another ownership change. The new owner was "trimming the fat" and this included reducing the use of the air conditioner during the summer and cancelling cable. This should be viewed with much caution and warning. Finding out how long the home has been in business, who has owned the home and the number of residents usually living in the home are important questions that need to be addressed while evaluating a Board and Care home. Be sure to visit the home when you have an appointment and, more importantly, when you don't! It is important to feel welcomed at all reasonable hours. One can get an idea of how clean the home is and of course how well the needs are attended to of the residents. Once you have addressed these questions/issues, then you are on your way to moving your loved one into the right Board and Care home and you can feel good about your decision.
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More about Board and Care Homes at: www.alzheimer-faci-assisted-living-board-care-southern-california.com/Board-Care-Homes-in-Southern-California.html
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