keeping the peace during a nursing home transition

When a relative starts to reach their senior years, you and other family members may start to wonder if housing dedicated to seniors might be an option to explore. However, there are so many kinds of facilities out there that you may become overwhelmed during the search and not know what kind of things you should be looking for. Here are some questions to ask during your senior housing search that will help you determine which type of facility would be best for your older relative.

What is the Menu Like? 

While you may want your older relative to enjoy the food at any senior housing facility, the reason you need to ask about the food is not to ensure that it is restaurant quality. Your relative might follow a gluten-free or vegetarian diet, and over time may require a semi-liquid or full liquid diet. Finding out what types of menus are available can help you to be confident that not only will your relative enjoy the meal offerings, but that they are actually able to eat them.

What Kind of Social Activities are Offered?

Your older relative may be happy to discover that many independent living and assisted-living facilities offer a host of social activities for their residents. They might soon discover that their social calendar is fuller than it has been in some time. Some senior housing facilities even have trips planned, so that senior citizens can see a show, go to the beach and leave the facility for a number of hours. However, it is important to get an idea of what they offer so that you know whether a particular relative would enjoy what they have to offer.

For instance, if your relative isn't very mobile due to a disability or injury, a facility that offers dances and hiking trips and not much else might not be the best choice for them. In such a case, you might want to search out facilities that offer horticulture classes and movies and game nights. Of course, it's a good idea to get your relative's input about what they would like to spend their days doing.

What Happens if My Relative's Health Declines?

Even if your older relative is able-bodied and has good cognitive skills right now, you may want to consider that as they get older, they may lose some of those abilities. Because you might not want to move them from facility to facility, it is important that you find out whether a facility offers care for all different levels of ability and functioning. That way, your relative can remain somewhere they are familiar with instead of being uprooted and taken to a brand new place as their health declines.

When you ask the questions in this article, you and your family members will be able to get the information you need to make a decision about which facility may be a good fit for your older relative. Be sure to take your time and speak with staff members at multiple senior living facilities in order so that you are sure you're making the right choices.