Assisted Living For Parkinson’s Disease: What You Need To Know.
Assisted living is a type of housing for people who need various levels of medical and personal care. Living spaces can be individual rooms, apartments, or shared quarters. The facilities generally provide a home-like setting and are physically designed to promote the resident’s independence.
Assisted Living: Services Provided
The services offered by assisted-living communities vary from facility to facility. Services often include:
- One to three meals a day
- Monitoring of medication
- Personal care, including dressing and bathing
- Housekeeping and laundry
- 24-hour emergency care
- Some medical services
- Social and recreational activities
Assisted Living: Special Services For Parkinson’s Patients
Consider what services are important before you visit assisted living communities. For example:
- Why do I want/need to change my living arrangements?
- What daily activities do I need help with (bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, remembering medications)?
- How often do I need help?
Assisted Living: General Questions Regarding Parkinson’s
- Is the residence licensed?
- What type of insurance does the facility carry on personal property?
- How do they respond to medical emergencies?
- What is the visitation policy?
Assisted Living: Staffing Questions For Parkinson’s
- 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?
Assisted Living: Facility Design For Parkinson’s
- 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?
- Handrails available to aid in walking?
- Are cupboards and shelves easy to reach?
- 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?
Assisted Living: Medication Protocol-Parkinson’s
- 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?
Assisted Living: 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