Researching Care Options for Your Aging Parent?

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Here are some important questions to ask.

When evaluating care options, there’s usually some urgency to decide quickly. But how do you know you’re making the right choice? Here are some helpful hints to get you started with important questions to ask before you decide.

Follow these tips to find the right fit for your loved one.

  1. Reach out to people you can trust to be unbiased: friends, family or a physician. Ask for their candid advice and recommendations.
  1. Once you have a list of 3-5 care options, visit your state’s senior housing commission (in Pennsylvania, check with the Department of Aging).
  1. You can also check online reviews, but because personal reviews can be very objective, it’s important to weigh them with other information you’ve already collected.
  1. As you narrow down your list, start scheduling visits to your top communities. As you’re doing this, consider other little details, such as how they answer the phone, the time it takes for them to return messages and their helpfulness.

During your tour, take note of the following:

  • What are your impressions of the place?
  • Does it look and smell clean?
  • Does the staff smile and greet residents by name?
  • Do the residents seem well cared for and happy?
  • Could you imagine your loved one living here?

If you’re satisfied with your first look, here are some questions you’ll want to ask:

  • Is there an entrance fee? If so, how much is it?
  • What’s the monthly fee?
  • What’s covered by the monthly fee? What’s not covered? (i.e.: phone, cable TV, housekeeping, meals, health care)
  • How much say do residents, family members and your family doctor have in my loved one’s care?
  • Do you have a calendar of resident activities?
  • What’s their schedule for a typical day?
  • Try the food. How is it?
  • What is the dining arrangement? Do residents eat in a dining room or in their rooms? Is it cafeteria-style or sit-down?
  • What’s the visitation policy? Are there set hours, or are visiting hours open?
  • Are there security safeguards in place?
  • What happens if a resident runs out of money?

Choosing the appropriate level of care for your loved one is an important choice. At Green Hills Manor and The Heritage of Green Hills, we help people just like you understand their options and find the right fit. If you’d like to learn more, fill out the contact form on this page or call us at 484.709.1035.

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