2. How specialized is the care?
Not every senior living facility provides the specialized care dementia patients need. Certifications are crucial here.
Is the facility formally licensed to care for dementia patients? Does their staff have their streamlined education in dementia care?
Of course, dementia care education is not a one-time thing. Does the staff have ongoing training to keep in line with the latest advancements in dementia care?
The level of organization of the facility also matters. How optimized are the schedules to the needs of your loved one with dementia? Do they have streamlined stimulating activities (as opposed to generic) for people with dementia?
You also want to consider the number of dementia patients the facility currently accommodates. Does the facility have the staff strength to take care of such patients? This can be determined from the staff-resident ratio on a typical day.
3. How accessible is your choice facility?
If I correctly assume that you are not dumping off your loved one at the facility, be concerned about how readily reachable the facility (and your loved one) is for you.
First is the physical distance. How close is your home to the facility? If the facility is not necessarily within your proximity, how robust is the transport infrastructure for you to reach the facility?
Also, how readily can your loved one access external medical care? Alternatively, does the facility have provisions (regarding transport logistics) for the doctor’s appointments?