Choosing a Care Facility, Part 1

Originally published in the Beaverton Resource Guide, May 1, 2018

We decided that my Dad needed to move closer so I could be his health care advocate. Overwhelmed, and not knowing how to look for the kind of place that my Dad would need, I decided to make a list of needs and wants in a new living space. Here is a look at some of my criteria in looking for someplace.

Ability to maintain his independence in an apartment like setting
Panic button if he fell or needed help
Medications would need to be dispensed to him
As his needs increased the facility would accommodate his needs
I wanted a place he would not have to move out of because of lack of funds or memory issues.

Now I knew what I wanted and what my Dad needed how do I go about looking for the perfect fit? There were commercials on TV about “A Place for Mom” and “Caring.com” I contacted both sites; they listened to what I needed in a care facility including what kind of budget restrictions we had. Within minutes I had a list of places to call and schedule a tour. I narrowed the list further by how close they were to where I was living, I had three that seemed to meet my preliminary criteria and fell within our budget.

Next came the touring of the facilities, they were very similar. All facilities follow the same State and Federal rules and regulations so our decision would ultimately be on how well we liked the staff and apartments.

Joy is a traveler blogger she writes about the amazing places and people she encounters. You can read about her adventures at joy4travel.wordpress.com