How To Choose A Long-term Facility Or Rehab Center
It’s a big decision to move a family member into a long-term care/rehab facility. and figuring our how to choose a long-term facility or rehab center can be complicated. There are a few things that you need to decide when you make that decision that a long-term facility is the right choice for your family member. First know if your family member has long-term care insurance, medical insurance, or some type of funding for their stay. Also you need to find out what type of facility is needed for your family member, are they in need of a memory care unit or rehab? Are they going back home or are they staying due to other circumstances? What type of services does your family member require? Are they needing rehab because of a surgery or wound? Does your family member have a power of authority over their medical decisions? These questions and probably more need to be answered before you can decide on a long-term care facility to choose.
Sometimes you need to make those decisions in a hurry due to a fall at home, for instance. If your family member needs to move in quickly, and you’re not sure how to decide, I’m gonna give you some tips on how to make that choice.
1. Know Your Area
You want a faculty that is first near you. You are going to be busy because taking care of a loved one takes a lot and you don’t want to be driving long distances to get to your family member especially if there is an emergency. So know what facilities are in your area.
2. Call the Facility And Call on the Weekend
I would make it a point to call the facility, request a tour, and see how they interact over the phone. Make the phone call on the Weekend. Every facility that I have worked in is short staffed on the weekend (Saturday or Sunday) and you can kinda tell how short just by a phone call. Did the person on the other end rush you? Did they let you ask questions? Do they sound personable? Do they sound professional? Did they take your information? You will be shocked on what someone is willing to tell you over the phone?
3. Show Up Unanounced
Show up unannounced and see how organized the facility is on short notice. Does the facility have an odor? Does it appear clean and organized? Do the workers look rushed? Do the workers look professional? After Covid they are now letting visitors into facilities, so show up, you could learn a lot.
I hope these steps will help you figure out how to choose a long-term facility or rehab center for your family Member. Remember there are a lot of good facilities out there you just have to find the right fit. Good luck.
