Reader TTS

KEY QUESTIONS AND ISSUES TO CONSIDER​​​ Choosing the right facility for a love one requires a lot of legwork. These tips were culled from a series of interviews and from the book _Not Dead

Yet: Rebooting Your Life After 50,_ by Barbara Ballinger and Margaret Crane. • How does long-term care insurance, Medicare and Medicaid factor into the cost of the facility? • What are the

rules for visitors, and are there resident policies that must be followed? • How often are beds available? Do you need to put your name on a list now, and what does that entail?  • When

choosing your exact unit (if you have a choice), think about where the light falls and at different times of the day and seasons. • If your loved one likes the outdoors, is there a balcony

or garden space on the grounds where they can do the things they love? • ​If you are a couple, what are the options if one of you passes away? • Beyond monthly fees, how do “extras” work and

what is the pricing structure? • Once you have narrowed your choice down to one or two places, be sure to visit the community numerous times and at different times of the day to see

staffing and resident engagement. • Ask questions about medical care, cleanliness standards, ratio of caregivers to patients, if you can still see your own doctors and what plans are in

place for handling future pandemics.​​