If you or a loved one is ready to make the move to assisted living, you’ll need to do some work to find the community that’s right for you. That search can be overwhelming: If you search online for “senior living in Decatur, Georgia,” you’ll get more than 8 million results!
Here’s where to start your search for senior living in Decatur:
Decide What Kind of Care You Need
Senior living communities in Decatur offer a wide range of services. You may only need reminders to take your medication, or you may need help bathing and dressing. Also, consider the possibility that you may someday need dementia care. You’ll want to find a community that offers both the care you need now and the care you might require as you age.
Ask for Recommendations
Your friends or your friends’ parents might also be searching for senior living. Ask them what they have learned. Have any communities stood out to them? Your doctor’s office and local senior center may have recommendations as well.
Narrow the Choices
When you have a list of recommended senior living communities in Decatur, look at their websites and see what kind of amenities they offer. Is there a full calendar of social activities that will keep you busy? Do they provide transportation to doctor’s appointments and events in the community? Are there outdoor spaces for gathering with friends or taking a walk around the grounds?
Take a Tour
When you’ve narrowed your list to two or three communities, you’ll need to visit each one to see if it’s someplace you could live. Be sure to drop in when they aren’t expecting you so you can see what it’s like on a typical day. Bring along a friend for a second opinion.
How big are the rooms? Do you like the decor? Do staff members stop and greet you? Do they seem friendly? Are the residents busy taking part in activities in the common rooms? Are they happy and engaged?
Try the Food
Most communities will be happy to arrange a day for you to join them for lunch. That way you can see what kind of food choices they offer at meals and whether you will like them. You can also see for yourself how the residents interact with each other at meals.
Ask Questions
A community representative will be happy to answer any of the questions you may have so you can see whether this community meets your needs.
Some things you may want to ask:
- Is there space available, or will I be put on a waiting list?
- What services does my monthly cost include? Some communities don’t include everything in one price. Find out about any hidden costs so you can compare different communities.
- What kind of experience does the staff have?
- Have employees been trained in strategies for dealing with residents with dementia?
- Is there a high turnover rate of employees in the community?
Read Reviews
Search for reviews of the community online. If there are many negative reviews, it may be a red flag that this is not a senior living community where you or your loved ones want to live.
Take Your Time
Don’t feel pressured to move into a senior living community that’s not quite right for you. Keep looking until you find the one that is.
Arbor Terrace of Decatur offers assisted living designed to meet each resident’s individual needs, from minor help to full assistance with the activities of daily living. They also have a special dementia care neighborhood to support residents with dementia. If you’d like to find out more about Arbor Terrace and see if you’d feel at home there, call 404-292-5910 to arrange a tour.
