by Mary Day, Pro Seniors
“I want to move to assisted living, but I don’t know how to choose the right one for me!” Now that some facilities are allowing visitors, care in a licensed community is more of a consideration for people seeking a social living environment. Maybe you’re considering assisted living because you feel isolated, you’re lonely without friends nearby, or perhaps you’re wanting the option of activities with others in an assisted living community.
It’s important to know the facts before you make a decision – and all the ins and outs can be confusing. Once you have spoken with Council on Aging about available services and your eligibility, if you decide moving to an assisted living community is right for you, Pro Seniors can help.
Pro Seniors’ Long-Term Care Ombudsman staff – advocates for residents rights – provide free help to explore these options and identify the next steps in the process. Our Home Options provides customized informationfor you and your unique situatioin. We serve Hamilton, Butler, Warren, Clermont and Clinton counties in southwest Ohio.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, your visit may be virtual instead of in-person, for your safety and the safety of residents and facility staff. If you are unable to do an in-person visit, you may want to askthe facility if here are residentsor family member who are willingto speak with you by phoneabout their experience at the facility. Be sure to include your own family, friends and loved ones in the visit.
“The information we provide, said Bob Vines, Pro Seniors Ombudsman Manager, “will be focused on specifically what you want and need.”
In addition to discussing availabilities at each type of licensed community, the ombudsman can help you narrow your search from all the assisted living communities in the area to just a few that actually offer what you’re looking for.
Think about your life – the specifics that are part of your every day. For example: Do you have a pet? Will you still be able to see your own doctor if you move to this community? These are just a few of the considerations you can discuss with your ombudsman.
The ombudsman will not recommend a specific facility or community. Instead, the Home Options ombudsman will help you evaluate your choices based on information about each one, including past performance on inspections, responses to family and resident satisfaction surveys, any recorded complaints about the facility, and how each of these compares to what you need and want. The ombudsman will also encourage you to use Pro Seniors’ no-cost legal helpline to explore any legal, Medicaid and other resource issues you may have.
The bottom line is: You don’t have to make this decision alone! All you have to do is call!
Mary Day is Development Director for Pro Seniors, a non-profit organization, established in 1975, to enhance the independence and quality of life of older adults by empowering them, by protecting their interests and by facilitating their access to resources. Pro Seniors provides education, advice, advocacy, representation and justice for seniors in Ohio, all provided at no cost to clients.
Pro Seniors: 513.345.4160 | 7162 Reading Road, Suite 1150 ∙ Cincinnati, OH 45237 | Proseniors.org