Once you have made the decision, you should:

1. Establish whether your love one intends to remain in his or her home
2. Identify your love one’s specific needs and preferences
3. Establish a budget
4. Determine when your love one will require this new level of care

Whether you are looking for an assisted living facility, nursing home or adult family home, look for a place where your love one will feel safe and secure, while still reveling in the maximum amount of independence.

Steps to take when selecting a Provider

Step 1: Locating a Provider

It is important to take the time to adequately research potential providers because the spectrum of quality and cost is substantial. To access information about providers in your or your loved one's area. Contact: your local Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).

Step 2: Evaluating a Provider

As soon as you compile a list of potential providers, you and your love one should consider beginning the evaluation process as soon as possible. Site visits and face-to-face interviews, in particular, can be quite time consuming. A good way to begin the process is by developing a list of basic and enhanced questions and then screen potential candidates by phone. The information that you get from this process should help you and your love one reduce the list of potential providers.

Below you will find a range of questions suited for various stages of the evaluation process. Add and subtract questions as you fit, and remember, no question is inappropriate-you are after all determining the future well-being of a loved.

Basic Questions

• What is the name(s) of the director/owner of this facility?
• How many years has this facility been in business?
• What are your fees?
• How many locations are being managed by your company?
• What is your availability? Do you have a waiting list?
• What services do you provide? (e.g. transportation, meals, snacks, etc.)
• What is the professional extent of your staff? If not on-site, do you have access to off-site professional services?
• What is the rate of staff turnover and absenteeism?
• What staff qualifications to you require when hiring aides?

Additional Questions

• Are daily schedules individualized? Do residents awake on their own accord and decide their own bed-times, rest-times and outdoor times? Are residents assisted in using the toilet according to their own bowel and bladder patterns?
• Are daily activities individualized?
• Is the facility restraint free?
• Are meals served family style? Can residents choose what they want to eat and how much?
• What does a resident do throughout a normal day?
• Does the facility encourage independence and healthy aging? Is there a physical fitness program? What other types of stimulating programs both mental and physical does the facility offer? Are there any intergenerational programs available? Is there a library?
• Is the facility located near churches or synagogues, shops, restaurants, public transportation, etc.? Is the facility easily accessible to friends and relatives who may wish to visit?
• Are bathrooms equipped with grab bars by the toilets, bathtubs, etc.?
• Are there ramps for wheelchair access?
• Are plants and pets allowed?

First Visit Questions:

When touring a facility, speak with the director, as well as some staff members and residents:

• Ask a resident - What makes a good day for you? How much choice do you have? Do you know the other people here - staff and residents?
• Ask a staff member - How do you like working here? What makes a good day for you? Do you have a favorite resident?

Look around and observe and ask yourself the following questions:

• In general, is the facilities well-maintained, well-lit, appealing, odor free and clean?
• Does the staff appear to be supportive and friendly? Do they comfortably interact with residents? Are they accommodating? Or do they appear to be overwhelmed and tense?
• Does the residence feel homey or does it feel institutional?
• Does the facility have clearly marked fire exits and smoke alarms?
• Are the hallways and public rooms noisy?
• Do the activities appear meaningful or are they just intended to pass the time?

The Unannounced Visit

Once you have narrowed your choices to two or three, arrive for a brief unannounced visit. It is an excellent means of verifying your overall impressions. These visits are a way of making sure that "unannounced visits" are acceptable and that what you have seen so far is, indeed, everyday practice.

Step 3: Selecting a Provider

If you have followed, at least to some degree, the above suggestions, you and your elder should have a solid impression of the leading provider candidates. If at this point in the process you are still having trouble deciding between providers, you might consider going back and reviewing some other factors, such as cost, and most importantly your gut feeling. For example, if you're choosing between two highly qualified centers, essentially equal in all respects but cost, then choosing the most affordable one may make sense. On the other hand, there will be times that you will prefer one provider to another for no apparent reason - one of them just feels right.

While these decisions are, often times, very difficult and are catalyzed by events beyond our control, the more prepared we are, the more smoothly the transition will be. With the work that you have put into the process of evaluating and selecting a care provider, you should feel secure that you and your love one are making the best decision possible under the circumstances.