Question 1 Answer:
All of the homes we represent are neat and clean, but some are much more glamorous than others. What should be focused on is the care that goes on inside the home, what residents are in the home and how might the proposed resident fit in with the home, the staff and the other residents. Also, proximity to family is very important.
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Question 2 Answer:
Some agencies talk about ratios of staff to clients and focus on a 1 to 3 ratio. What is important is what is the level of care need of the proposed resident and also the level of care need of the residents who are already in a home. Homes who tend to take healthier, ambulatory residents or clients can accomodate at least one or two residents who may need a bit more special attention. On the other hand, if a home specializes in, for example, hospice care, they are usually adequately staffed to handle residents who need a lot more time and attention for feeding, bathing, transferring, etc.
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Question 3 Answer:
It is very important to inquire about whether or not a home has awake staff at night or if a proposed resident needs to sleep well through the night as no one is awake at night. Those homes that do not have awake staff at night usually require a proposed resident or client to sleep entirely through the night and there is often the expectation that a schedule of awake/sleep will need to be adhered to to maintain the home's milieu.
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Question 4 Answer:
Families should inquire as to the monthly cost of a proposed home. Often, a home owner will give a price range until they have assessed the proposed resident to determine how much staff time will need to be allotted to the resident to provide the proper care. An average cost of homes in Tucson is usually between$1800.00 and $2800.00 per month. Some homes are less and some are more. Homes on more popular sides of Tucson can often cost more (i.e. Northwest or East) and the time of year makes a difference as well. Winters are much businer and homes tend to be more full during Winter months so there is much less negotiating on cost during those times.
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Question 5 Answer:
Homes tend to be extremely busy during the morning hours when residents are bathed and fed breakfast and prepared for activities of the day, so often homes will request that visitors not come before 9:30 or 10:00, and not stay later than 7:00 or 8:00 at night so residents can prepare for bed. Arrangements can always be made when visitors needs to come early or even late. Be careful of homes who have a very narrow window of time for visitation (i.e Wednesdays from 2 to 4). Homes usually welcome families and visitors and often have an "open door policy."
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Question 6 Answer:
Most homes bathe residents as often as needed. In the case of hospice clients, the hospice usually provides bathers to come into the home to assist in this process and homes often view hospice as a "plus."
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Question 7 Answer:
All homes take pride in the cleanliness and comfort of their residents and residents are usually bathed, dressed, and brought out into the community areas of home to interact with other residents, as opposed to lying in bed. Sometimes, of course, this is not possible, but residents are encouraged to interact with others as often as possible, such as at meal times, during activites, etc.
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Question 8 Answer:
Transportation can often be provided by the home or by a contracted driver when there is no family present to take a resident to physican appointments, the store, etc. This should be investigated during the interview phase of finding a home. Sometimes this is an additional cost to families and sometimes this is built into the monthly cost of the home.
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Question 9 Answer:
There are several different levels of care when it comes to providing assistance to residents. Some folks need only very basic "checking on" and perhaps administration of medications by the home. Other folks need help with transferring from the bed to the toilet or walking and eating. Other residents are at risk of wandering away from a home, so locked gates and doors are helpful. Some homes specialize in dementia clients and others specialize in residents who speak a different language as an example. This is why many questions need to be asked in order to find out what the proposed resident's needs are and what the "best fit" will be.
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Question 10 Answer:
When a monthly cost is ascertained, families need to know what is included in that monthly rate. Usually three meals and snacks, laundry, utilities, and sometimes furnishings are included (families can also provide some of the resident's own furniture as well). Incontinence supplies are usually provided by the family, as are the resident's medications, although the home will, at State requirement, be administering the medications to the residents. Sometimes if specialized foods are required or desired, such as Boost or Ensure supplements, the family will also provide those.
Rooms that are shared by two residents are less expensive than single rooms, so families should discuss this with a home owner. Often, if a single room is desired but unavailable, a resident can move into a shared room with another resident and then move into a single room when one becomes available within the home. Transportation may or may not be provided by a home, so families should inquire about this as well. Some homes provide a hair dresser or a manicurist and this is often an additional cost to families.
The State of Arizona also requires that residents moving into an assisted living home receive a nursing care plan to determine what specifically is required of the home to provide care. This is an additional cost to families and is usually between $45 and $65 one time. This care plan will need to be updated in approximately 60 to 90 days and is also a cost to the family.
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