Location, Location, Location…Or Maybe Not So Much!
When considering an assisted living for a loved one, location can be very important, to a point. Being nearby allows family to be more engaged in their loved one’s life and care. Family involvement and advocacy can sometimes make or break the success of their loved one’s overall quality of life. Hopefully the loved one will spend their remaining days at the assisted living, and family can provide comfort and compassion throughout.
Location isn’t, however, everything. The overall quality of the assisted living is paramount. If you’ve found an assisted living that’s twenty minutes away rather than a couple of blocks away, but you trust the administrator and staff 100% to advocate for your loved one, it may very well be worth the drive. Especially if the assisted living provides activities that add to a quality of life, you won’t feel like you have to ensure your loved one is being cognitively stimulated and socialized. A clean, friendly option with a good reputation and experienced staff will make you feel comfortable that a loved one’s needs are being met without feeling the need to visit daily. When that is the case, family members and their loved ones can get back to their normal, natural roles, such as daughter and mother, or wife and husband, rather than caregiver and patient. Thus, adding to the quality of life of everyone involved, family and their loved ones.
Location is definitely an important factor in considering assisted living; quality and trust in the assisted living is imperative.