Around 16% of Maryland’s population is over the age of 65, so the importance of assisted living services can’t be understated.
When you have a loved one in their senior years, you’ll start to notice small changes as time goes by. Eventually, there comes a time when they may not be able to enjoy the same lifestyle they once did. That’s when you must consider elderly care in Hagerstown.
Choosing a senior living community is a major decision. In today’s post, we’ll help you find the best-assisted living community in Hagerstown and explain what makes us the best retirement community in the area.
Your loved one deserves comfort, security, and the right kind of treatment. Keep reading, and let us help you find that in Hagerstown senior care.
What Does Your Loved One Need?
The first thing to do before actually seeking out a community for your loved one is to figure out what kind of services they need. Senior living communities come in various forms to accommodate the needs of various seniors. Choosing the wrong one may result in your loved one not getting the care they need.
First, there’s independent senior living. These types of communities are what most people typically think of when they hear the term “retirement homes”. They’re geared toward healthy seniors who are looking for a simpler lifestyle without all of the responsibilities of home ownership.
Assisted living communities involve more in-depth care. They’re suited for seniors who are having trouble with certain daily activities, such as bathing, cleaning, and cooking. The communities have staff who help residents deal with these things, as well as their individual health challenges.
Memory care is a specialized form of assisted living for those living with dementia and Alzheimer’s – a population of around 6 million Americans. It involves many of the same perks as assisted living but has staff who are highly trained in dealing with the unique challenges dementia presents.
Choosing the right type of senior care is imperative. Make sure to determine your loved one’s needs before starting your search.
Touring Local Communities
Your next step is to tour local communities with your loved one. It’s important to keep your search local to ease their transition into senior living. When they’re in familiar surroundings and family is available to come visit, the transition is a lot less jarring.
To find the top local communities, perform a Google search for “senior living in Hagerstown”. From there, you have to look into specific criteria to determine which ones are deserving of your loved one’s residence.
Look at Reviews
The best way to separate the best senior living communities in your area from the rest is by reading reviews. No one can give you more valuable information about a senior community’s services than the loved ones of current and former residents.
Use the reviews to find red flags that could help eliminate certain communities from contention. Whittle your selection down to 3-5 communities to take tours of.
Pricing and Rooms
One of the things to investigate when you’re taking senior living tours is the pricing structure. Budgeting for retirement can be hard for some, so you need to find a retirement home that can accommodate your financial situation.
There are ways that some communities help you cut costs. For instance, good senior living communities will offer a few different room sizes and styles. Your loved one can choose a smaller room if your family is on more of a budget.
Staff Qualifications
Whenever you’re touring senior living, you need to get a sense of what the staff are like. More specifically, you need to understand their qualifications, as well as their level of compassion for residents.
This becomes more and more important as the services become more involved. Assisted living workers must provide intimate services for residents and memory care workers must be specially trained to help residents navigate the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
It never hurts to speak to as many staff members as possible while on these tours. You can get a better sense of the people who will be caring for your loved one that way.
What Activities and Amenities Are There?
Often, the deciding factors in choosing between senior communities are the amenities and activities. Your loved one has unique interests and desires, so if a community can satisfy those desires, it makes it a better choice.
Every community offers specific amenities to residents. One might have a spa and pool while another could have beautiful outdoor gardens for residents to sit in. In touring any community, make sure to pay close attention to the amenities on offer.
You also need to find out what kind of activities are available for residents. The best communities will have a calendar of rotating activities that keep residents engaged every day. These activities must promote physical and mental health in residents, whether it’s Tai Chi or meditation classes.
Dining Options
The other side of senior health has to do with nutrition. Seniors need a balanced diet full of nutrients to stave off a variety of illnesses and maintain joint and bone health.
You should never choose a community that doesn’t have an in-house restaurant with an ever-changing menu of delicious meals that account for the dietary needs of all residents.
Safety and Security
Lastly, you must look at the safety and security of the entire community. If your loved one has mobility issues, they should still be able to move around the grounds with ease. For those with memory problems, wandering is always a concern.
A memory care community should be secure and monitored to prevent this. 6 in 10 people with dementia wander at least once, so you don’t want your loved one to get lost outside the community.
Choose the Best Assisted Living Community in Hagerstown
Choosing an assisted living community for your loved one shouldn’t be easy. It’s a life-altering decision that will have lasting effects, but if you use this as a guide, you’ll make the transition easier for them.
To find the best-assisted living community in Hagerstown, look no further than Seaton Hagerstown. With our fully equipped community, SHINE® Memory Care program, Sensations Dining, and Celebrations activities, your loved one will live a fruitful life in senior care. Contact us today to learn more.
