From Independent to Assisted Living

What is assisted living?

Our assisted living home is for seniors that still desire an independent lifestyle but may need assistance with their daily living needs. At Open Arms, our staff assists residents with daily needs including meals, grooming, dress, bathing, medication, entertainment, mobility and more, giving our residents tranquility and confidence that their individual needs are always met. We differ from traditional assisted living residences as we are a family-oriented home opposed to a large facility. Our home is a state-licensed, 7 bedroom assisted living provider with a home-like atmosphere. We pride ourselves on treating our residents with honor and dignity and loving them like family.

Making the transition from individual living to an assisted living home can be a difficult process. When your loved one begins to require the loving care and attention of an assisted living home, there are many questions you may have when determining the right fit. Every senior is unique in their own way and may demand individualized care. If you find that your loved one is beginning to fall behind on their daily living needs and upkeep it may be time to find the right assisted living home with staff caregivers and amenities. We recommend assessing the following 6 points when determining the right home for your loved one. 

Cleanliness and House Keeping

How often is house cleaning provided and what are the laundry procedures? A clean home is a happy and healthy home. When observing the cleanliness of an assisted living residence, look into the corners and bathrooms, personal spaces and community areas to identify the standard of house keeping provided. If there are any bad odors, this is usually a sign of a problem or issue in the residence. If the home is not well taken care of, this may pose an issue for the health and safety of its residents.  At Open Arms, we maintain daily scheduled cleaning and chores as well as a weekly deep clean of the home. Our staff monitors all activities and areas for concern as needed and immediately provides necessary attention to keep our home as clean as possible. Our residents and visitors enjoy a clean and organized home where they can relax and feel comfortable. Our bathrooms are cleaned daily and laundry is taken care of daily or as needed. 

Activities and Amenities

Does the residence have activities planned for its residents? Do they match the interests of your loved ones? Activities in the home are an important aspect of daily living to keep seniors engaged and intellectually active. By scheduling a visit to the home during an activity, you can gauge the attendance and feel for the staff excitement and attendance. This is also a good way to observe other resident personalities and fit for your loved one. Open Arms recognizes the unique interests of its residents and tailors daily living to each individual. Whether you enjoy coffee on one of two decks, music therapy with guest local musicians, aroma therapy, going out for ice cream, puzzles, reading or alone time, we can facilitate. Open Arms features our associate pastor every Wednesday for bible study if residents are interested. 

Everyone enjoys outdoor areas and soaking in the sunshine. At Open Arms, our home has a large accessible yard and a front and back deck used daily. Residents enjoy dining, relaxation and celebrations outside amongst curated landscaping and blooming flowers or fallen leaves. Our generational touch, built from our family focus, brings in young children to interact with our residents by listening to stories, providing a helping hand and celebrating birthdays and holidays. 

Staff Friendliness

The most important detail when determining the right fit for your loved one is the quality of staff. Observe the staff and their interactions with residents. Do they listen and maintain engaging conversations? Do they hold eye contact and genuinely care for each individual. Pay attention to the staff friendliness and loving care provided. Would you feel comfortable living at the home and will your loved one feel comfortable and cared for? Larger facilities may provide less interactions and a large staff that seniors may have a hard time getting to know and trust. In a small home, everyone is catered to by their individual needs. At Open Arms, each resident is checked on every 30 minutes, woken up in the morning and tucked into bed at night. Our staff helps each resident with bathing, grooming and dress. We make sure residents are well groomed and properly dressed.

Meals and Dining

Are meals fresh? How often are meals served? A proper meal plan for seniors is crucial to maintaining proper health and nutrition as well as maintaining a schedule for convenience and interaction. When determining the right home, observe the dining room experience by attending a meal with the residents. Entree choices are important as your loved one may have dietary restrictions or preferences. At Open Arms, our meals are all home made and served three times per day providing snacks as desired. We take requests for all meals and strive to serve our residents their favorites. By working with our local Dietary Nutritionist, we develop our best menu options for senior health. Breakfast is served per individual and based on their preferences and wake up time. Our schedule is your schedule and we cater to your needs.

Safety and Security

How do residents contact staff if there is an emergency? What are staffing patterns at night? Safety and security are imperative. Look into staffing requirements and scheduling as well as nightly staffing patterns. An emergency could happen at any moment and immediate response will make the difference. At Open Arms, each resident has a call system in their room. We have an on-staff registered nurse in the home once per week and on call for all immediate assistance needed. Open Arms assists and coordinates all medications with each resident, works with third party and extended medical services as needed as well as hospice and end of life care. We work with you to facilitate all needs and our live-in management is present throughout every night ensuring 24 hour safety. 

Feedback and Intuition

As you begin to narrow your options for your loved one and the right home, ask for testimonials and feedback from past and present residents and their families. Ask yourself if this home is somewhere you would feel comfortable living and if your loved one will feel happy and loved by the staff and other residents. Trust your instincts. 

"We welcome you with open arms to give us a call, email us or stop by to learn more about Open Arms and our beautiful home. We are excited to meet you and your loved one and help you begin the transition and fold into our family." - Faith