How to Find the Perfect Assisted Living Community for Your Loved One

The CDC reports that over 32,000 residential care communities exist across the US. This high figure means that choosing an assisted living community can be challenging for families. After all, there are so many options to weigh!
Here, we'll give you some tips and tricks for choosing senior care. Read on to learn some things to look for when choosing senior living in Fremont, CA.
Read Online Reviews
Experts at Fremont Hills already know why we're the top option for assisted living in Fremont, CA. However, potential new residents and their loved ones don't have to take our word for it.
You can look at online reviews and testimonials to make a more confident and informed decision.
Reviews are trustworthy because they:
- Tell you both the pros and cons of an assisted living community
- Give you genuine opinions from real residents for a trustworthy and knowledgeable perspective
- Highlight key features of the community
- Let you compare assisted living options to one another
- Make you feel more confident that you're making the right choice
Talk With Assisted Living Community Representatives
Once you feel secure that a community might work well for you, schedule a tour of its amenities. This will give you the chance to:
- See how well-appointed a community is
- Understand what daily life is like there
- Talk with other residents about what they like in the community
- See an activities calendar for a better understanding of what events the community offers
- Learn more about the levels of care that the community offers
You'll also have the chance to ask questions like:
- What do your care plans look like?
- How do you tailor care to each individual resident?
- What are your monthly rental rates?
- Are there any additional fees associated with some features and amenities?
- What do family visits look like?
- How do you communicate with families?
Once you inquire about these logistics, you'll develop a better understanding of whether the senior housing solutions you're looking at are right for your loved one.
Prioritize Quality Care
However, choosing the perfect community needs to go beyond basic questions. You need to ensure that your loved one will get high-quality care within the community walls.
A great assisted living community in Fremont, CA will help seniors:
- Choose clothes and get dressed
- Bathe
- Use the bathroom
- Maintain personal hygiene
They'll also offer:
- Housekeeping services
- Cleaning services
- Weekly laundry
- Medication management
But senior care isn't one-size-fits-all. It's critical that community caregivers assess your loved one's needs and offer all of the care they need. However, part of this is understanding what residents can do on their own and allowing them to have as much independence as possible.
Compassionate care experts should:
- Talk with seniors and their families about what tasks the potential new resident struggles with
- Discuss what your loved one is able to do independently
- Create a personally tailored care plan that addresses all their needs
- Adapt the care plan to changing needs over time
Look Into Amenities
Tours give you the chance to see what the community looks like.
Prioritizing well-appointed apartments when choosing a senior care community is critical for your loved one's well-being. According to the University Medical Center New Orleans, people's physical environments contribute to their mental health by boosting relaxation.
Resort-style apartments should offer:
- Comfortable furniture
- Wide windows
- Warm lighting
- Carpeted flooring
- HVAC for climate control
- Large, open spaces for easy navigation
- Wide hallways and doorways for wheelchair access
- Grab bars/grip bars and no-slip shower mats for safety
- Pet-friendly rules and amenities
A top-notch assisted living community should also offer well-appointed common areas like:
- Restaurant-style dining spaces
- Craft rooms
- Game rooms
- Well-stocked libraries
- Lounges
- Piano areas
- Peaceful landscaped outdoor spaces for relaxation
These spaces are perfect for relaxation and socialization. Ensuring that the community grounds are welcoming and inviting boosts mental health by promoting meet-ups with friends within community amenities. Seniors are less likely to self-isolate and experience loneliness and depression.
Understand Social Opportunities
Prioritizing socialization is one of the most important retirement community tips for families looking into assisted living. Johns Hopkins University research links social isolation and loneliness in seniors with:
- Cognitive decline
- Dementia
- Depression
- Stress and anxiety
- Heart disease
- Obesity
A robust activity calendar can help residents combat isolation in California assisted living communities. They find events that interest them and engage with others there. People at the same event already have something in common, which makes breaking the ice easy.
Some calendar events in an assisted living community may include:
- Crafting workshops
- Painting and sketching sessions
- Writing groups for creative inspiration
- Board game nights
- Gatherings for card games
- Stretching and yoga
- Meditation groups
- Aerobic exercise
- Walks in outdoor amenities
- Themed dances
- Guest academic lectures
- Art and music therapy
- Live musical performances
Since seniors live near one another in the community, residents can nurture the friendships that begin at these calendar events.
Without chances to get out there and meet people, loneliness is inevitable. Socialization is a huge factor in getting a loved one into the best senior living in Fremont CA.
Listen to Your Loved One's Opinion
After a great tour, it's tempting to sign up for a well-appointed apartment immediately. However, doing so without talking to your elderly loved one can be disastrous.
After all, supportive living for elderly residents is made to cater to the seniors who live there. Finding a community that your loved one is excited about goes a long way.
Potential residents have time to ask questions and voice concerns while on their tours. However, before making a final decision, ask for their honest opinion independently. They should also be involved in the decision-making process regarding senior housing solutions.
Find Great Assisted Living in Fremont, CA
Now that you know how to choose the right assisted living community for your loved one to thrive in, it's time to begin looking for great options for senior living in Fremont, CA.
Our compassionate care professionals are excited to answer any questions about our amenities and events. We're also committed to meeting the specific needs of each resident with individually tailored care plans.
We offer 27/7 associate support, so contact our team to learn more about what we have to offer!