Making the decision to place your aging parent in an assisted living center may be a painful choice for some children. But when your parent can't take care of herself or you're scared for her health and safety while living alone, an assisted living center may be the best choice. Making sure that you research each home thoroughly to choose the best one for your parent can give you greater peace of mind.
Step 1
Talk to your parent about your decision about placing him into an assisted living home. If the thought scares or angers him, you may want to consider in-home help over sending him to an assisted living center. Explain your reasons for wanting to relocate him, and reassure him that it will be a smooth transition and increase his quality of life.
Step 2
Decide on what you can afford. While the thought of placing your parent in an assisted living home may sound expensive, note that you are simply exchanging one type of cost for living for another. if your parent owns his own home, put it on the market. The profit from the sale of a home can be invested in a high yield savings account or CD, and the interest can be used as a way to help pay for monthly living expense bills. Assisted living homes are usually paid monthly, so Social Security can also help with expenses. Depending on the level of care, you expect to pay $800 to $4,000 per month, as of 2009.
Step 3
Research assisted living homes in your area. See the Resources section for the National Center for Assisted Living website, which can direct you to centers in your area. Investigate things like the level of assistance the seniors get, visiting policies, the grounds and rooms as well as activities. Learn about the level of assistance. Some assisted living centers offer as much care as nursing homes, while some only offer assistance with health related tasks, like taking medications and getting to appointments. Your parent's level of care will rely on how independent she is naturally. You may find that you have to change assisted living homes as she ages, going from one with a lower level of care to one with a higher level.
Step 4
Inquire about the number of residents in the home. Not only will this determine your parent's level of comfort--he may enjoy a smaller home over a larger one--but it may also determine the wait time to get into the assisted living home of choice. If your parent has to wait a month or two and cannot live alone, you may need to arrange for a different living situation while you wait for a spot to come available.
Step 5
Narrow your search down to the three assisted living centers that you feel are the best fits for your parent. Take her with your to tour the facilities, and ask for her feedback on which one she likes the best. The Mayo Clinic recommends making it a point to speak to the director, if possible, to help put your parent's mind at ease. Most assisted living centers will gladly allow you to tour the grounds and facilities, as well as allow you to speak with staff members and residents. Ask about eligibility requirements. Depending on the level of care, the home may require that your parent maintain a certain degree of independence, and not have certain illnesses that would affect relationships with staff, like dementia.
Step 6
Work with your parent to choose the center that he liked the best. Ask him what he liked about each center, and what he didn't like to get a clear picture of what components of the center will help him to lead a more comfortable life. Obtain a copy of each home's Resident Agreement and read it together. In the Resident Agreement contract, you'll be able to read more about what is expected of the residents, the level of care and when payment is due. You should be clear on all of these points before deciding on a home.
Step 7
Help her to move there. Make sure to pack up familiar items, like knick knacks, art work and memorabilia that will make her feel more at home. Make sure that you visit often, so that your parent doesn't have a sense of abandonment after she is placed.
