You want to find the best care for your loved one. There may be times when you will find you or a loved one are in need of therapy or in need of a care community’s services. These comparison checklists will assist you in comparing care communities and therapy services in order to make the best decision.

Select a service that you would like to compare:

• Therapy Care Community Comparison Checklist
• Care Community Comparison Checklist

Therapy Care Community Comparison Checklist

There may be times when you will find you or a loved one are in need of therapy. This comparison checklist will assist you in comparing care community therapy services and making the best decision.

When selecting a care community for the therapy services you or a loved one need, it is important to visit the communities, ask the right questions, record their answers and then rationally compare them. This comparison checklist will help you do just that. It is also important to understand the three basic types of therapy services offered— occupational, physical and speech therapy.

Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy has a unique, diverse and important role in geriatric health care. Therapists seek to optimize the patients’ quality of life by improving their ability to perform activities of daily living, or ADLs. ADLs include tasks such as eating, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, transferring and home management responsibilities.

Physical Therapy
Physical therapists are dedicated to improving the patients’ quality of life by increasing mobility, decreasing pain, improving balance, enhancing strength and reducing joint contractures.

Speech Therapy
Speech therapy helps patients to better understand what is being communicated to them and to regain their verbal communication abilities. Speech therapy also assists in retraining patients to read and write. Additionally, in some cases, speech therapy can help patients whose communication ability may appear to be intact but the patient’s cognitive and linguistic functions are impaired.

Therapy Care Community Comparison Checklist Click here for printer friendly version of this chart.		(circle one)	(circle one)
Does the care community offer consistent occupational, physical, and speech therapists?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Is therapy available seven days per week?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Does the care community offer outpatient therapy?	Yes / No	Yes / No	Yes / No
Does the rehab program offer in-home assessments for a safe transition to home?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
If assistive equipment is needed, is it ordered by the care community prior to discharge?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are personalized home exercise programs developed for each patient prior to discharge?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are the therapists experienced in dealing with your medical condition?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are treatment schedules flexible and designed for the patient’s needs?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Is family participation encouraged with treatment?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Is family/caregiver education and support provided by the therapists?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No

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Care Communities Comparison Checklist

You want to find the best care community for your loved one. This comparison checklist will assist you in comparing care communities and making the best decision.

Placing a loved one in a care community is one of the most difficult tasks a family member ever faces. But when it becomes necessary, prospective residents and their families should have the best information possible to make this decision.

To make the best decision, you should first speak with people you can trust and who may be able to provide valuable information about a particular facility, as well as the needs of the potential resident. Such people include family, friends, and health professionals.

Second, begin gathering basic information about the senior care communities you are considering. Keep in mind that location is important. Choosing a care community located close to family and friends will allow more time for visiting.

It is also important that you understand how financing will be handled for a stay at each care community.

Next, visiting the care community is one of the most important steps in the selection process, as it will allow you to comparison shop using the checklist we have provided. This will actually allow you to talk with the staff and the residents who receive care and live at the care community and keep a record of their answers. As you conduct your interviews, be sure to respect resident privacy. You may visit a care community during a scheduled tour, or you may also visit the care community unannounced.

Finally, let your senses guide you through your tour—sight, smell, touch, sound and taste—are all important factors. Use this checklist as a guide to note specific things about each care community you visit. Then you will have the information that will help you make an informed as well as the best decision for your loved one, and for you.

Care Communities Comparison Checklist Click here for printer friendly version of this chart.		(circle one)	(circle one)
general
Is the care community close to family and friends for visitation?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
What is the occupancy rate?
Is the care community certified by Medicare and Medicaid?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are visiting hours convenient for residents and visitors?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Is the care community near a hospital that serves its residents?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
What is the deficiency rating of the care community?
care
Is a thoughtful approach used in selecting roommates?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are physical, occupational and speech therapies available?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
What is the staff-to-resident ratio?
Are care plan meetings held at times that are convenient for residents and family members to attend?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are families invited to participate in the plan of care?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are residents well-groomed?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Does the care community provide the special service you may need? (dementia, behavior, ventilator, wound care, etc.)	Yes / No	Yes / No	Yes / No
resident rooms
How many residents share a bathroom?
Can residents bring personal belongings from home?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are the rooms clean?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are the rooms furnished?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Does each resident have storage space in his or her room?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Can call lights be reached by each resident?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
environment
Is the care community odor-free?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Does the care community appear clean and well-kept?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are exits clearly marked?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are noise levels in the dining room and other common areas comfortable?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are there quiet areas where residents can visit with family and friends?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
menus and food
Do residents have a choice of food items at each meal?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are nutritious snacks available?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Is resident assistance available during mealtimes if needed?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Does a dietitian plan menus for residents on special diets?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Can residents eat in their rooms if they so choose?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
activities
Are rooms available for resident activities?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Is there a variety of activities available for residents?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Are outdoor areas available for residents’ use?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
staff
Does the relationship between the staff and the residents appear to be warm, polite and respectful?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Does the staff knock on the door before entering a resident’s room and refer to the residents by name?	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Is there a care provider available to coordinate personal needs? (errands, physician appointments, etc.)	Yes	Yes / No	Yes / No
Is there significant turnover in the facility care staff?	No	Yes / No	Yes / No
costs
What is the rate?
What services does it cover?

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