How to Choose an Assisted Living Facility
Holzer Assisted Living communities are located in both Gallipolis and
Jackson. These facilities provide a comfortable, homelike environment,
along with security, independence, privacy, companionship, and physical
and social well-being.
To learn more about how Holzer Assisted Living can benefit you and your
loved ones, please visit our webpages for
Holzer Assisted Living in Gallipolis
and Holzer Assisted Living in Jackson.
How to Choose a Facility
 You should begin to choose an assisted living facility in much the
same way you would prepare for the purchase of a new home. Do
comparisons. Make list of several facilities in your area, and prepare
to do many of the same things you would do in hunting for the perfect
house. Consider location and community, comfort and style, price and
available services.
Of course, an Assisted Living community is much more, and your search
will require you to be both more thorough and more demanding. The State
of Ohio does not specifically license Assisted Living facilities;
however, the Ohio Department of Health does license nursing facilities
and residential care facilities. Since many assisted living facilities
provide residential and nursing care, they will have licenses in these
areas.
Depending on the facility, it could be a small home offering services to
just a few people, or a high-rise with space for hundreds of residents.
Living areas range from single rooms to full apartments with a private
bath and kitchen. Most facilities offer prepared meals, served in a
common dining area or in the resident’s own apartment.
You need to consider whether or not the size and services of the
facilities you investigate are right for you.
Make Contact
Once you have your list of assisted living facilities in your area,
call each one. Are you treated well on the phone? Did they
satisfactorily answer your questions and offer to send you any
information you may have asked for? Brochures are nice, but are they
willing to send you a written list of rules and residents’ rights, as
well a copy of any agreement that will need to be signed before moving
in. Once you receive the materials, read them over carefully and make a
list of questions to ask on your next call or when you decide to visit.
 Plan to Visit
Plan to visit the top assisted living facilities on your list. There
is no substitute for experiencing what the facility has to offer in
person. Meet the staff and take a tour. As you do, pay attention to your
commonsense and intuition. Talk to a resident or two, asking them what
they like and don’t like about the facility, and about the level of
services and care they receive.
If one assisted living facility makes it to the top of your list, plan
to make another, unscheduled visit. Go on a weekend or during the
evening on a weekday. It is always easy for staff to be on their best
behavior during a planned visit, but how well you are treated and how
the facility looks and operates when they do not expect you can tell a
great deal about the actual day to day operations of the facility.
Level of Services and Care
Does the facility offer the level of services and care that you or
your loved one will need, not only today but in the future. What if
conditions worsen and disabilities increase?
Holzer Assisted Living facilities in
Gallipolis and Jackson provide spacious
private apartments in several styles, each with private bathrooms. The
apartments are carpeted, and furnishings are provided by the residents
in order to help create a homelike environment and continuing sense of
independence. Residents able to drive may bring their own cars.
At Holzer Assisted Living, we strive to provide a homelike environment.
An experienced nursing staff and resident assistants are on duty 24
hours a day to provide healthcare and personal assistance with bathing,
dressing, and medication administration as needed. A medical director
and physician are on staff to coordinate medical services and see
residents as needed.
Three daily meals are served. There are activity programs, church
groups, van rides, and outings. We strive to meet a variety of necessary
services, including dietician services, a pharmacy, quarterly podiatry
services, physical, occupational and speech therapy, and more. A
community laundry is available.
Occupancy Agreements and Contracts
Just as you would carefully review any agreement in the purchase of a
home, your contract with an assisted living facility is a legal document
of great importance. Review it with everything you have heard and been
promised in mind. Make sure you understand the agreement is saying, and
consider reviewing it with your personal financial and legal advisors.
Remember, a reputable assisted living facility expects you to review
their contract carefully and will offer assistance in helping you
understand it or in making reasonable changes as needed.
An assisted living facility can offer you or your loved one a level of
independence, social activity, and care that otherwise would be
impossible. But just as you would not move into a new neighborhood,
sight unseen, you should carefully pick and choose among the facilities
available until you find just the right one to meet your current and
future needs.
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