Sending our elderly loved ones to aged care homes is an experience that will be full of emotions. After all, we are talking about becoming apart from someone who we were living with for many years.
Fortunately, you can always take some virtuous steps to make this transition easier and less stressful. For starters, you should find the best centre that not only has a homely environment but also offers the amenities and care that your loved one deserves.
Choosing the Ideal Aged Care Facility for Your Elderly
When searching for aged care homes, you will be presented with numerous options. This could make the process of choosing the best facility for your loved one a bit of a challenge. Nevertheless, you can make things easier by looking into the qualities that these centres should have.
Pleasant and Secure Premises
First and foremost, a good aged care home should be in good condition and is located in a highly accessible place. Regardless of age, it should be well maintained. Its rooms and communal areas should be clean and comfortable. Of course, it should also have all the features for safety and security, such as lifts, ramps, and CCTV.
Quality Caregivers
How the caregivers tend to their residents will give a good picture of the attention and experience your loved one will receive while living in retirement communities. So, when assessing a facility, check if it has trained and qualified carers.
Know how they accommodate you during your visit. Are they friendly? Do they answer your questions properly? Do they make an effort to get to know you personally?
Moreover, a good nursing home would have a low staff-to-resident ratio. This means that your loved one will receive adequate attention while being there.
Personalised Care Programmes
The care services and lifestyle programmes of an aged care facility should not only be based on the general needs of the residents. They should also be offered on a personal level. Every resident is unique, and it will be good to know that your loved one’s particular needs will be met.
During your assessment, ask about the meals, fitness activities, events, and entertainment they have on their premises.
Accreditation
Of course, the facility you choose should have a licence that allows it to offer aged care services. So, when checking the retirement villages Gold Coast has today, for example, you should make sure that it is accredited by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. It is always best to confirm that they operate according to government standards before making your final decision.
Strong Sense of Community
A good aged care facility should be engaged with a wider community. Ideally, it should allow family members and volunteers to visit its residents and stay in touch. Or, it could facilitate day trips or excursions on a regular basis to make their residents’ lives more enjoyable.
Preparing to Send a Loved One to an Aged Care Home
Aside from looking into the essential qualities a nursing home should have, you should also make some preparations to make the transition a lot easier in sending your loved one to aged care Brisbane, Gold Coast, or any other city of Australia has to offer.
1. Sort out your finances.
One reason that older people become reluctant to stay in an aged care facility is the thought that the costs can be too expensive. So, you should sort out your finances first. Ask your loved one if they have a retirement savings account that they can tap into. Or, you can talk with your siblings to help with the costs.
You can consult financial specialists to get an idea of the standard costs of aged care services in your area.
2. Speak with your elderly loved one with an open mind.
You should understand that this is a difficult change for your loved one, so you should approach it with an open mind. Involve all family members in your discussions, if possible, and do it on a positive note, showing your elderly loved one that you are all in agreement and the move will be best for them.
Also, a single discussion will not solve any issue with this decision. So, revisit such a topic regularly to slowly eliminate the hesitation your loved one might have.
3. Respect your loved one’s ideas about the transition.
Just choosing a facility and coercing your loved one to move into it will not do the trick effectively. Sure enough, they also have their own opinion about the change.
To avoid any frustration, you can present them with a considerable number of options and listen to what they say about them. This gives them a chance to contribute to the final decision and makes them more accepting of it.
Parting Thoughts
Sending a loved one to aged care homes is a huge decision to make. And, just the thought of it can be emotionally taxing. However, you can take the stress out of the equation by doing your due diligence, being prepared, and choosing the right facility. This way, you will have peace of mind that they will be taken care of properly while they are away from you.
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