The most effective assisted living communities do much more than provide meals, housekeeping and bathing assistance. Choosing well and getting the best value requires that you ask additional questions.

There are many different options in the CCRC industry. For example, consider the community size when making your decision; do you prefer a large community with many options and services, or something smaller and more individualized? Would you prefer a more “formal” environment or are you a casual person at heart? There are CCRCs of all types and sizes, and you should find one where you will feel most at home. Use the list below as a starting point for asking questions when visiting or contacting these senior retirement communities.

In any given city, a quick look through the Yellow Pages may reveal dozens of competing companies offering what appear on the surface to be the same services. It's up to you to investigate the differences and find the one company that best suits your home health care needs.

Hospice care is a better alternative for individuals who are terminally ill and don’t wish to die in a hospital setting. Hospice services offer an improved quality of life with pain control and relief of symptoms during the last phase of life. Hospices are more private and don’t restrict visitation privileges for family members. Hospices offer the in-house medical attention terminally ill cancer and AIDS patients need while in a comfortable setting. Please scroll down to learn more and get access to the palliative services and hospices in Montrose, CO listed below.

Questions you should ask your assisted living facility or nursing home.

The difficulty of decision-making increases as we become less familiar with a subject or as the consequences of our decisions appear serious or permanent. Decisions affecting our happiness or the happiness and well-being of a loved one are particularly difficult. You may already be in the midst of considering such life-changing decisions as selecting a retirement community, dealing with Alzheimer's Disease in a loved one, providing good home health care for an ailing senior parent or deciding on nursing home placement.

Making a good decision regarding where a senior loved one chooses to live is important and can be difficult. Don't wait until there is a crisis to gather information. The best decisions are usually made without time pressures. Incorporating the help of friends and relatives not only gives one the opportunity to share the work of a search and move but also provides a ready support group to discuss what the move means to each of them.

If you are unsure about the level of care or type of housing needed in your specific case, you might begin by using our Care Interpreter TM tool which returns a matching level of care based on your responses to a questionnaire. You may also refer to the various levels of care described in the Types of Senior Housing & Care article and see where your needs fall in this range between fully independent living and round-the-clock skilled nursing.

The care plan meeting is also your opportunity to provide the staff with important background information that will improve the quality of care that your loved one receives. SNFs are obligated to provide individualized care, and are therefore required to make reasonable adjustments to honor the resident's needs and preferences.