Over the past year, you’ve probably noticed an uptick in the number of assisted living facilities or at-home care services for older adults near your community. Many assisted-living providers sought to offer a healthcare franchise opportunity wherever they could, primarily because most of their residents were being moved either back into the homes of their loved ones or to facilities within the proximity.
At the height of the pandemic, people wanted to guarantee the health, safety, and wellness of their senior loved ones. The easiest way to do this was to pull them out from senior care facilities or move them closer to home.
With the continued vaccination rollout programs being done across the country, the senior care industry is expected to be back in demand. This essentially means that you’ll most likely be sending your older loved ones back to these facilities, so they can get the care they deserve. However, choosing the best community will prove to be quite a challenge.
Designed with Purpose
While the volume of assisted living facilities has gone up drastically, it doesn’t necessarily entail an equal increase in quality. Of course, you should be looking at what a particular care provider has to offer and determine whether your loved one would be a perfect fit for their community.
Suffice it to say, not all facilities for assisted living can provide the necessary benefits that you hope your loved ones to experience. One of the simplest ways to determine whether a senior living community is a good fit for you and your loved one is by looking at how their spaces are designed. Here are some design trends you should be on the lookout for when choosing an assisted living facility.
The Great Outdoors
More than anything, your loved one should be able to maintain their personal holistic wellness at an assisted living facility. In this regard, look for communities that can offer extensive outdoor spaces that will allow older adults to really connect with the natural environment.
This is important particularly because seniors — and everyone really — will be looking for spaces to escape into after being cooped up indoors for more than a year. Simply fostering a connection with nature can prove to boost their overall wellness significantly.
A Matter of Cleanliness
In the wake of the global pandemic, cleaning certain spaces and surfaces has become an essential daily chore. This is especially crucial when it comes to assisted living facilities. Primarily because they present numerous touchpoints that usually receive lots of traffic throughout the day. In this case, there is a heightened possibility of transmission of harmful bacteria or viruses.
To safeguard your loved one’s health, Don’t be afraid to ask important questions like how often they sanitize and disinfect communal spaces or whether the materials throughout the facility have antimicrobial properties. Cleanliness guarantees a path towards healthier living for your loved one.
Room for One
Another big thing to consider when looking through assisted living facilities is how the resident suites are designed. Your older loved ones will likely spend most of their time in this private space, so it’s important that it also promotes their holistic wellness.
When looking at the suites, there are plenty of elements to be considered. Make sure that the room permits the entry of a lot of natural light. Natural colors and textures are also proven to play a significant role in promoting a cozy feeling that makes it all the more homelike.
At a Distance
The enforcement of social distancing in common areas is perhaps the most important feature to consider, especially coming from the context of the pandemic. Shared spaces can foster interactions and promote a certain sense of community among the residents of an assisted living facility.
In this regard, choose an assisted living facility that can offer a lot of flexible amenities without sacrificing the shared experiences that they can provide. Social distancing will also be an important element when it comes time for you to visit as well. Effectively, a care provider that prioritizes this along with other safety measures will probably be your best bet.
A Fitting Facility
Among the biggest trends in the senior care industry, adopting technologies and seamlessly integrating them into various spaces in facilities are also worth noting. Take this into consideration, alongside all these other features to look out for. Ultimately, you should be looking at an assisted-living facility that will definitely complement and elevate the lifestyle that your senior loved one has.
