Choosing a Long-Term Care Facility

Choosing a long-term care facility for your parent requires great care on your part. Understand first that all long-term care facilities throughout our country are not created equally; clarify that the property you are considering is appropriate for your own mother or father. To begin with, your parent(s) may function quite well living somewhat independentally; however, he/she may have to be moved into a continuing care property where more extensive care services will be provided. Although researching such facilities may be trying, you must physically tour these properties, ask questions and be comfortable with your own decision. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind:

Cost: Your parent's care may become very expensive. What does care cost at each property? Can this cost be subsidized, based on your parent's income? How much does extra care (i.e. a private room) add to the price?

Location: You and your family will want convenient access to visit. Consider the neighbourhood - is the facility close to shopping, a doctor's office, coffee shops and/or a park? If you are not driving, ensure that you can still easily access the facility by public transit (is this bus service more limited on evenings and/or weekends?). Family caregivers who own vehicles should evaluate the availability of visitor parking on-site.

Building appearance and upkeep: Scan the exterior of each facility as you approach it. Could the building use a fresh coat of paint? Do trees and/or hedges need trimming? In the wintertime, are the sidewalks cleared of ice and snow? When entering the facility, be aware of how clean it is. Are there any spills or unpleasant odors? By all means, explore the less-travelled areas (e.g. kitchens, public washrooms and/or stairwells) to confirm these are not ignored by either housekeeping or maintenance staff.

Care staff to resident ratio: How many care staff are on-duty during the day and how many residents is each responsible for? Note that the number of paid care staff can decline overnight when residents are likely sleeping. While assessing this ratio, also ask about the expertise of the staff. How familiar is the staff with your own parent's health condition?