Sue

Debra,
Thank you for inviting us to your anniversary celebration. We enjoyed the day tremendously! Your staff family, the food, the residents and the Haven were all incredibly wonderful! I received a different view of what assisted living can be.

Thanks again,

            Mary Jo

During Mother's stay at the Haven, mom became apart of your "family" as you all became apart of ours. We are so grateful that she was able to spend her time at Haven in Allyn  comfortable, happy, and in the best of care. you are all wonderful!

      Susan White and
            Chris Nutter

Thank you so much for the wonderful care Haven in Allyn provides for Mother and all who are there. Your celebration of each life everyday is such a blessing. Many, many thanks for your love, care, concern and your dream.

   Penny,  Charlotte's
         daughter

Q:  When do I know my parent would be better served in a facility rather than at home?
A:  Usually it is a combination of considerations. It depends upon the immediate care and assistance that the loved one needs and the frequency. When you see that the needs of the individual are not being met by what you can provide in the home, then it is time to make a decision.  

Q: What are signs which determine if my parent needs full time care?
A:  Most accidents happen at night when getting up to go to the toilet. Is that safe for them? Do they have poor vision? Do they have short term memory problems? Forgotten food cooking? Do they forget their walker? Do they misjudge their ability? Taking steps without assistance, walking too far and not being able to go to safety. Forgetting or taking too much medications.

Q:  What do I look for in choosing a good facility for my loved one?
A:   Always visit and ask questions of everyone. Notice how you feel when you first enter the facility and visit the individual rooms. Evaluate the floor plan of the facility. Is it too big or too cramped? How much space does each resident have in the common areas? Visit during a meal time and participate. Is the food appealing? Is there a variety of foods offered? Is there assistance and/or encouragement between staff and residents over meals. Ask to speak to residents and family members.

Q:   What are good questions to ask an Administrator?
A:    Administrators are responsible for all facility operations, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  So start by asking about the building itself, ask about safety requirements, ask about the residents rooms, about the staff, and about medication management in general.  Then sit back and watch and listen how these questions are answered, not just what is said.  A compassionate and knowledgeable Administrator will respond with compassionate and thorough answers. 

Q:  What specifically should I look for when choosing a facility for my loved one?
A:  Keep in mind the habits and preferences of your loved one.  If he or she likes to rise later in the morning, is that behavior supported by the facility?  If the meal that is prepared for everyone is something your loved one cannot or will not eat, are they prepared to accommodate a special meal?  Are they willing to go out of their way to do that?  The same goes for what time they may need or want to eat.  

Q:  What about medications?  My loved one has a whole host of meds to take throughout the day, even in the middle of the night. 
A:  Medications are managed by a registered nurse. We practice nurse delegation for medication administration and a licensed nurse is available 24 hours a day at the Haven. 

Q:  How do I evaluate the cost of such a facility?
A:  Although we appreciate that cost is sometimes sensitive, cost is not the first consideration. Establish the needs and the value of attending to those needs effectively for your loved one. By this, we mean really dig down to what services are provided. Then look at what the service level would cost. You can pay less than the cost of the Haven in Allyn but we guarantee you will get a lot less than what your loved one deserves. 

Q:  I see some facilities have so many rooms and residents.  The buildings are huge.  Is there something I should know about the size of a facility?
A:  The critical factors to size and level of care are strictly related to size. Staff to resident ratios and staff turnover ratio is much more important. Some large facilities have a 1:10 or more staff to resident ratio which means less care time available per resident and is directly related to resident's socialization, health status and level of care and attention.  Larger institutions are often less selective and have higher supervision to staff levels which means active mentoring, supervision, and performance feedback are less per staff. Higher staff attrition and turnover is reflected in lower aggregate skill levels and morale.  Also, constant churning or re-assignment of staff makes it confusing for the resident and does not encourage a trusting bond between care giver and resident, which we find essential.  Haven in Allyn has a low staff turnover and a ratio of 1:1.4 resident to staff ratio. Our staff take meals with the residents.

Q:  We hear all kinds of horror stories about how people are treated in some facilities.  How can I know that my loved one is safe from such experiences?
A:  If you can, come out and visit and stay a little while.  Take time to talk to a staff member or two about simple things like how they help move the residents that need help.  Ask who gives out the meds.  See how the residents look.  Do they appear clean and healthy, and they relaxed?  When it comes right down to it, you will need to go a little bit by your gut instincts when you visit with the Administrator.  And do try to visit.  When you see how happy, healthy, and clean your loved one is….well, that’s the real test.