Senior Living
Tips for Those Considering Assisted Living
By
Sep 10, 2005, 01:04

(NAPSI)-Free resource guides are available to help consumers 'get what they want' from their assisted living arrangement, and help staff and family members know their wishes. These easy-to-use resources help residents and family members choose an assisted living environment that's right for them, or make changes in their assisted living arrangement to make it even better.

According to the Long Term Care Community Coalition (LTCCC) and the Coalition of Institutionalized Aged and Disabled (CIAD), both of which have extensively studied assisted living arrangements throughout the nation, competing needs of residents, their children, managers and other staff can make it difficult to create a lifestyle that is 'just like home' for residents.

Experts say that with the right tools, fulfilling the promise of assisted living can be achieved.

"Aging Americans want the independence and choice that assisted living facilities promise, but unless the proper homework is done, reality might not live up to their expectations," said Cynthia Rudder, Ph.D., executive director of the LTCCC.

Assisted living, typically a group-housing arrangement, assists residents with housekeeping and health care needs while maintaining their autonomy. Since the boom in demand for assisted living arrangements between 1998 and 2000, when the number of assisted living communities increased more than 33 percent, assisted living has become the first choice for thousands of older Americans who seek independence and control in their lives.

"We know that satisfaction is increased when residents maintain their independence, ability to make decisions and control over their own life and are able to clearly express their expectations to staff and family members," says Geoff Lieberman, executive director of CIAD.

Four guides are available at no charge at www.assisted-living 411.org:

• The Guide For Potential Residents helps potential residents and their families choose an assisted living community that is the right fit for the resident.

• The Guide For Current Residents helps people already in assisted living assess whether their residence meets their expectations and suggests ways to work with staff and other residents to make it better.

• The Guide For Assisted Living Managers helps managers make their management vision a reality, by providing practical tips and case studies that help staff meet residents' needs and overcome typical obstacles.

• The Guide For Assisted Living Direct Care Staff is a unique resource that recognizes that staff members know the residents the best and can implement changes to create the most satisfying environment for the residents.

"The guides provide practical advice for those who have the most influence over creating independence, choice and control in an assisted living situation-specifically potential and current residents and their families, managers and staff," Lieberman said.

The guides are based on research performed by the CIAD and LTCCC and were developed with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. All of the guides were reviewed by a professional advisory board, and were pilot-tested in diverse communities across the nation.

© Copyright by EveningsNews.com