how to decide on nursing homes or assisted living facilities

Do you have an aging parent scheduled for surgery and you aren't sure who is going to take care of them while they recover, or how long the recovery is going to take? If this is the situation you are dealt with, you may want to look into assisted living centers in your area.

There are assisted living centers where your parent can get the care that they need, and where they can stay until they are fully healed. When you start calling around to different centers, ask about the following.

Physical Therapy Options

Is your parent is going to need physical therapy after their surgery? If so, make sure the facility has a physical therapy room or area where your parent can do their exercises, or ask to see if your parent will have the space to do their exercises if a physical therapist comes to them. The sooner they can gain strength and independence is important, so search for a location with the therapy facilities you need.

Doctor and Nurses on Staff

Will there be a physician on staff that can check your parents healing progress and how they are recovering? If not, or if the doctor isn't qualified to check your parents recovery, you want to find out if their surgeon or primary care physician will be able to visit them on site. This prevents you from having to take them out of the facility, and having to transport them to get looked at.

Long Term Potential                          

Are you worried that after this surgery your parent isn't ever going to be able to come out of a living center, or that they need to start exploring assisted living options? If so, and they already have to go to a facility after surgery, you should look into the long term options the facilities offer. The assisted living program may be something that your parent is interested in after they get out of the constant care area.

You want to make sure that you find a facility you can trust to take care of your parent, and that it fits in the insurance plans. There are a lot of facilities that will have openings, but you want to find one with a great reputation for patient care, so you know that your aging parent is going to get the attention and the treatment they need while they are recovering. Check out places like Hilltop House Assisted Living or similar.