Planning Ahead – Factors to Consider When Thinking About aged Care Options

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Growing old is something a lot of people don’t like to discuss or think about. But, thinking about your aged care options sooner rather than later is always a good idea. Most of us will immediately jump to financials, which isn’t a bad thing, but there are also a myriad of other considerations.

  1.     Offering options

One of the key reasons why we look into aged care, whether it be for ourselves or a loved one is because a person needs care from someone other than themselves and the closest people to them might not be the best option.

If you are travelling for work, have recently been in hospital, then perhaps finding an aged care facility which offers respite care will work best for you. Designed for short term stays, these flexible options can really make the difference when considering aged care facilities.

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  1.     Assessment criteria

A step people often don’t consider is that perhaps you or your loved one aren’t right for the aged care facility. This can be the exact opposite of what most people think choosing an aged care facility is all about. After all, you pick which one you want right?

Often it is the case that aged care facilities will have a certain set of criteria you must satisfy to gain admission. The criteria can range from simple free assessments online to detailed medical questionnaires to assess your level of care required. This can be an important consideration to review before deciding upon a facility.

  1.     Engagement is important

When you are thinking about a particular aged care option it is important to assess what level of engagement there is throughout the facility. Not only the staff’s engagement with residents, (which is extremely important) but rather, how involved are the family members and loved ones encouraged to be.

Look out for chances to ask questions about visiting, activity days or opportunities to involve the whole family in the aged care option. After all, an aged care facility isn’t designed to be a place where you drop off your loved one and never come back. A great aged care facility might offer events or days where loved ones are encouraged to participate and be involved.

  1.     Accommodation

Seen one room, seen them all? Well, the fact is most have very different offerings from luxury boutique to hospital rooms – there is a huge spectrum. Before deciding upon the aged care facility for you or your loved one, inspect the accommodation options.

Test the beds, and really work out if you can be comfortable in the environment you’ll likely be spending a lot of time in. Ask staff how accommodating they can be if you did want to make changes. Perhaps it may be possible to furnish your own room, bring a bed. All of these things should be considered when choosing the right option.

  1.     Accreditation

This is one of those considerations which can sometimes be forgotten because we’d all like to assume that if aged care facilities are operating they must be licensed.

Licenses can be different to accreditations. Look for accreditations associated with safety, extra care services and any other areas that are important to you. Some aged care facilities will try to separate themselves by seeking more accreditations, a good sign in any case.

Aged care options can be a daunting prospect. After all, no one likes to think about life winding down. But it is still a very important consideration that we should all think about when the time is right.  Use these key considerations when you are ready to start assessing your aged care options.