If you’re searching for assisted living in Simi Valley, you may come across housing that offers individual rooms, apartments, or shared living spaces. Residents of assisted living typically need assistance with medical care and daily living activities, but try to retain as much independence as possible.
Services Provided by Assisted Living Communities
Residents may receive the following services:
- Personal care (assistance with dressing, eating, hygiene and grooming, bathing, toileting, and incontinence)
- One to three meals per day
- Housekeeping and laundry
- Shopping
- Transportation to appointments (doctor, hairdresser, dentist, etc.)
- Delivery of pharmacy medication
- Medication monitoring
- Medical services
- 24-hour emergency care
- Access to social and recreational activities
What Assisted Living Does NOT Provide
Assisted living does not offer the same level of assistance as skilled nursing or nursing home care. In a skilled nursing facility, residents receive full-time care, either short-term or long-term. These facilities are licensed by Medicare and/or Medicaid and are focused on short-term rehabilitation and long-term medical care.
Assisted living is also different from supportive services, which could indicate care for developmentally challenged adults.
Signs It’s Time For Assisted Living
Elderly individuals may need assisted living if:
- They’ve experienced at least one fall, with or without injury.
- Meal preparation is becoming difficult.
- They constantly feel hungry or struggle to meet nutritional needs.
- It’s getting harder to safely maneuver around the house.
- They need more help getting dressed, bathing, managing medication, or with other activities of daily living.
- You feel isolated and/or unsafe in your living environment.
How to Decide What Services a Resident Needs
Before beginning your search for assisted living in Simi Valley, take the time to think about what services you may need and share your thoughts with family members and caregivers.
A few good questions to ask yourself:
- Why do I want/need to change my living arrangements?
- Which daily activities do I struggle to accomplish (bathing, dressing, using the restroom, eating, regularly taking medication)?
- How often do I need help?
What to Look For in an Assisted Living Community
As you tour assisted living facilities in Simi Valley, ask the following questions.
Staff:
- What kind of training does staff undergo?
- Are staff members available on standby to meet urgent needs?
- Do staff members provide assistance to seniors who struggle with memory, orientation, or decision-making?
Facility Design:
- Do you like the appearance of the facility and the location?
- Does the facility accommodate wheelchairs and walkers?
- Does the facility have enough elevators?
- Are there enough handrails available to aid in walking?
- Do units have easy-to-reach cupboards and shelves?
- Are carpets secured and are the floors skid-proof?
- Is the residence kept tidy, odor free, and appropriately heated/cooled?
Medication and Health Care:
- Does the facility assist residents with medication storage and record keeping?
- How does the facility handle self-administration of medication?
- Does the facility coordinate medical visits from health care professionals?
- Does the facility obtain medication from a certain local pharmacy?
- Can medications be delivered to residents?
If you’re searching for assisted living in Simi Valley, reach out to Total Senior for guidance, support, and useful information.
