There are dozens of good checklists floating around on the internet and you can pick one up if you like. But we suggest another approach to this evaluation process. Here are some guidelines. I think you understand that we do our research from a distance. We are good at gathering information and sorting out the best possibilities based on that information. We have been very successful in helping families this way. But we depend on you to do what we call the �touch and feel� evaluation. We sort out the information and we count on you to use your sense and your senses! First Timers Shock Be aware that if you have never visited senior care facilities in the past you may be in for a degree of shock. Most of us have no experience in this area and do not know what to expect. And it may not be that things are �bad� when you see a place�it is simply the fact of having so many impaired seniors together in the same place at the same time. It can be overwhelming. This is not the golden year fantasy you or your loved one had. If you feel yourself having a strong negative reaction initially just keep in mind that this may be as much you as the place. We have some adjustments to make and some learning that has to happen. Give yourself the opportunity to see several facilities so you can begin to get a feel for what is �normal� and what is not. The Two Most Important Things to Look For First, just watch the interaction of the caregiving staff and the residents. While you are being shown the place, keep your eye on the relationship and interaction of the staff and residents. This is usually the most telling point of a home. Second, pay close attention to your interaction with the people in charge (owners/administrators). We operate with the assumption that there will always be problems. We are dealing with a declining elderly population with one of the worst diseases going�how can it be otherwise? The successful resolution of these problems is often a function of the quality of the communication between you and the people running the home, so that relationship is vital. Something Smells Around Here Murphy�s Law is everywhere. For this reason the people who are going to show you the care facility just know that 30 seconds before you walk in to see their place one of their residents is going to have a bad accident right in the doorway. So you walk in, grab your nose and decide immediately that �this is not the place�. This is but one example of a PROBLEM. Perhaps it is not smell. Perhaps it is everyone just sitting and doing nothing. Perhaps it is your take on the quality of food. Perhaps the grounds or building are in need of attention. Perhaps�.. If you see a place that you generally like and would be interested in IF ONLY they would deal with THAT problem, then consider this an opportunity. Recall that we mentioned above that there will be problems and that your communication with the people in charge is often the key to resolving these problems. Spotting something you regard as a problem in a place you like is an opportunity to test out the communication and problem solving abilities in your relationship with them. Put more simply�if you see something you do not like, say something about it. You do not have to be rude, just say, �Wow, I didn�t expect so much of a smell!� This is honest and invites them to tell you about their cleanliness standards and procedure. Remember that you do have some to learn about what is normal such an environment. Use what you react to as an opportunity to learn more about that facility in particular and about how such facilities operate overall. Schedule an Appointment or Drop In? We encourage you to schedule the first appointment. Allow the home to present themselves as they would like. Get to know some of the staff. Then, if this is a home you would like to consider seriously, let them know that you would like to drop in a few times unannounced to get a feel for the home in normal operation. They should not have any problem with this. This way you have established a cooperative relationship rather than an adversarial one.
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