Life Care Home

How to Choose... Life-Care Home

Making the Right Choice When Choosing a Life-Care Home Searching for a life-care home can be an unpleasant process. It is a decision few look forward to. It is stressful and often intimidating. Fortunately, much of this unpleasantness is unnecessary.

You can avoid much of this frustration by having a plan. No one knows how and where you will feel most at home better than you, but no one may know at all if you do not tell them. Despite their best intentions, your family may not recognize that your priorities and preferences are much different from theirs. In the event your family is forced to make decisions without your input, your care will be subject to their guesses.

A common mistake made by loved ones is selecting a place that is convenient for the family but far from your friends and support community. Or, they may pick a facility that is pleasant to visit, but not a very pleasant place to live. A beautifully decorated facility may not feel like home to you. Without your guidance, your family may fail to place proper emphasis on your top priorities.

Many choose retirement or assisted living arrangements for the freedom and convenience long before any health concerns arise. Time that you would have spent laboring with household chores can now be enjoyed pursuing your interests and favorite pursuits.Your loved ones will appreciate your new-found freedom as they enjoy their time with you more and worry about you less. Asking these questions before making any life-care decisions could help alleviate much of the stress, anxiety, and secondguessing.

Consider the following:

1) How much of your time is consumed by chores like preparing for the day, i.e. cooking, laundry, housekeeping, etc.? 2) How many of these things take considerably longer than they used to? 3) Do any of these activities seem overly tedious? 4) Do you require special assistance from a loved one or professional? 5) How much time or money does this assistance cost? 6) Do you or your loved ones experience stress/worry over your current situation?

The proper research of your options requires an investment of time, and this decision is too important to rush. The following plan will help you invest your time wisely.

Make the Right Decision the First Time

If you are hospitalized, it is worthwhile to seek Medicare coverage for extra hospital days, to pay for those days yourself or even to stay temporarily with loved ones until you find the right place. It is better to find the right home the first time than to “try out” a facility only to have to relocate later. Remember: You are shopping for a new home so it should be a place you want to live.

Make a Potential Home List

By considering these questions, you will get a sense of what is most important to you and you will begin the process with a few options on your list. Begin with personal experience: 1) What facilities have you visited in the past? 2) What did you like and dislike about each one? 3) Do you have friends living in a nursing home or assisted living community? 4) How do they feel about their homes? 5) How comfortable are you during your visits with these friends?

If you are researching on behalf of a loved one, make a special effort to keep them involved as much as possible. Ask for their opinions and do your best to view the options from their perspective. For a free downloadable form to help you choose a life-care home that best fits your needs, visit www.thebaptisthome. org/makingtherightchoice.