BESTCITYTRIPS
Picking a good assisted living facility is not that complicated, but you still have to be careful as you don’t want to end up somewhere where you won’t feel comfortable or safe. Assisted living facilities can vary greatly as well, and taking your time is what will allow you to find the absolute best for you and your lifestyle. Let’s take a look at a few questions you should ask yourself before you pick an assisted living facility.
How Much Support Do I Need?
The first thing you have to assess is the level of support that you need. Some facilities, for instance, will only offer assisted living but will not have a dedicated memory care unit. This could be an issue if you’re beginning to suffer from cognitive decline and you’d like to be able to stay in the same place in the future.
You also have people for whom the services offered by an assisted living facility will not be enough. If you need support 24/7, for instance, then what you need is not an assisted living facility, but a nursing home, which is very different. Only once you have written down exactly what your needs are will you be able to make a list of potential facilities.
City or Suburb?
Another thing you have to think about is the type of setting you want to live in. Some people may be autonomous enough to still live in the city, or simply prefer living there, for instance. Others, on the other hand, may prefer to move somewhere they will feel safer, or they simply want to enjoy the peace and quiet a nice little suburban facility would have to offer.
If that’s more your speed and you live in Chicago, it would be a good idea for you to check out assisted living and memory care facilities in La Grange, IL and other suburban areas as they offer a much better quality of life for seniors in general.
How Much Can I Afford to Spend?
If you’ve been doing your research on assisted living facilities, you probably know that they’re not cheap. The median cost for assisted living right now in the country is sitting at around $4500 a month, but you might be able to find something a lot cheaper than that depending on where the facility is located and the level of service.
You have to watch out for hidden fees, however. Some facilities will include all services in their monthly fee, while others will have a whole host of a la carte services. So, before you get all excited by the monthly price, ask how much you can expect to pay per month max, if you can expect annual fee increases, and how much more you will pay to move from one unit to another.
These are all questions that absolutely need to be answered before you choose one facility over another. Take the time to write down a list of criteria, look at a few facilities where you are, and pick one that will be a perfect fit for you.
