Assisted Living for Parkinson's Disease

In this article

• What Services Do Assisted Living Communities Provide?
• How Can I Know What Services I Need?
• What Should I Look for in an Assisted Living Community?
• General Questions
• Contracts, Costs, and Finance Questions
• Questions About Staffing
• Residents and Atmosphere
• Facility Design
• Medication and Health Care Questions
• Service Questions
• Features of Individual Spaces
• Questions About Social and Recreational Activities
• Food Service Questions
• Other Questions

Questions About Staffing

• Is staff appropriately trained?
• Did you receive a warm greeting from staff? Is staff personable and outgoing?
• Is staff appropriately dressed?
• Do staff members greet residents by their first names and interact warmly with them?
• Is staff available to meet scheduled and unscheduled needs?
• Is staff available to assist residents who experience memory, orientation, or judgment losses?

Residents and Atmosphere

• Do residents socialize with each other and appear happy and comfortable?
• Do residents, other visitors, and volunteers speak favorably about the facility?
• Do the residents seem to be appropriate housemates for you or your loved one?

Facility Design

• Do you like the appearance of the building and its surroundings?
• Is the decor attractive and home-like?
• Is the floor plan easy to follow?
• Do doorways, hallways, and rooms accommodate wheelchairs and walkers?
• Will they allow you to use and electric scooter or wheelchair?
• Are elevators available?
• Are handrails available to aid in walking?
• Are cupboards and shelves easy to reach?
• Are carpets secured and floors made of a non-skid material?
• Is there adequate natural and artificial lighting?
• Is the residence clean, odor-free, and appropriately heated/cooled?

Medication and Health Care Questions

• What is the residence policy regarding storage of medication, assistance with medications, and medication record-keeping?
• Is self-administration of medication allowed?
• Who coordinates visits from a nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or other specialist if needed?
• Does a doctor or nurse visit the resident regularly to provide medical checkups?

Service Questions

Is staff available to provide 24-hour assistance with activities of daily living, if needed? Daily activities include:

• Dressing
• Eating
• Mobility
• Hygiene and grooming
• Bathing, toileting, and incontinence
• Using the telephone
• Shopping
• Laundry
• Housekeeping in unit
• Transportation to doctor, hairdresser or other activities

Features of Individual Spaces

• Are different sizes and types of units available?
• Are units for single and double occupancy available?
• Do residents have their own lockable doors?
• Is a 24-hour emergency response system accessible from the unit?
• Are bathrooms private? Do they accommodate wheelchairs and walkers?
• Can residents bring their own furnishings? What may they bring?
• Do all units have a telephone and cable television? How is billing handled for these services?
• Is a kitchen area/unit provided with a refrigerator, sink, and cooking element?
• May residents keep food in their units?
• May residents smoke in their units? May they smoke in public areas?