What to Look for in Assisted Living Care Providers

While exploring senior care options, assisted living staff are an important feature to consider. While having a loving community with amenities can be wonderful, the team responsible for your care should have traits that help you feel happy, healthy, and, most of all, safe. 

In senior assisted living communities, supportive caregivers are the backbone of your experience. As you explore your care options for retirement, it starts by finding out what desirable traits your caregivers and staff should have during your time living in your new home. Below, we’ll describe how assisted living staff members care for their residents and what makes them excel at keeping residents happy, joyous, and comfortable.  

What Services Do Assisted Living Care Providers Perform? 

A common misconception is that senior living in assisted care is quiet and docile when, in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Senior assisted living communities regularly have social events, like exercise classes, game nights, and evening hobbies. Residents in these communities are people with hopes, dreams, preferences, and habits, and well assisted care providers make these environments fun for everyone. But more than that, they actively provide for everyone’s physical and emotional needs to maintain a healthy, happy environment for their residents. Some responsibilities that assisted living caretakers have include: 

• Housekeeping: In these communities, assisted living care providers often work to maintain a clean environment for residents and perform tasks such as changing linens, disposing of trash, and doing laundry. 
• 24-Hour Caretaker Assistance: In cases for residents who require additional help, many assisted living caretakers provide assistance with mobility and monitor their health over time. 
• Medication Assistance: Depending on their qualifications, some assisted living caretakers can provide medication assistance under authorization. In these cases, they help remind their residents to take medication on time. 
• Appointment Scheduling: If residents living in the community need to schedule appointments for their health, then an assisted living staff member can help ease the process by scheduling appointments for them and helping them receive transportation if offered as part of their services. 
• Daily Living Assistance: Residents who need personal care can often receive daily assistance from a staff member, where the staff member helps with grooming, dressing, bathing, and toileting. 
• Maintenance Services: In situations where repairs need to be made in homes, many assisted living providers can also provide maintenance on appliances and other items within their current housing. 

As they perform these tasks, these employees often work with their residents to make sure that they’re experiencing a positive, active, and happy social life, often becoming companions for residents in their lives. Because of the prominent role these people play in retirement, they work hard to handle the needs and preferences of everyone. 

The Best Traits of Assisted Living Care Providers 

So, what makes assisted living caretakers excellent at their careers? The best providers offer a positive experience, balancing their resident’s needs with community safety in mind, and are highly flexible in their ability to care for people like you. Here are some traits to look for when assessing the quality of your community’s staff and why it takes a special kind of person to care for those in assisted living: 

Compassionate

Assisted living staff members are people who care about the well-being and happiness of their seniors. They’re able to empathize with emotions and respect their resident’s autonomy and independence. Most of all, they’re able to connect with their residents in a way that goes beyond completing a checklist. 

Patient

As staff members in these communities, they also have to be patient. In circumstances when needed, these caregivers need to be able to handle stressful, demanding situations with grace and professionalism. They’re calm and are able to extend their compassion to their residents during unexpected moments. 

Dedicated

Good caretakers in assisted living place their residents first and are committed to providing the residents with the best possible care. They’re dedicated to their duties, work well with other team members, and work to make good decisions for their community. Alongside this, they also work to improve their quality of care over time. 

Communicative

Assisted living providers need to communicate effectively with families and other staff members to be able to engage with residents’ needs and comforts. Staff members in these environments work to actively listen, speak clearly to others, and provide respect when resolving conflicts. 

For those working in a senior assisted living community, their growth, satisfaction in their careers, and overall happiness connecting with their residents matter most. When deciding on an assisted care community to call home, make sure to look for these key traits, as having a friendly, compassionate caretaker alongside you can make all the difference. 

Thrive in Your Dream Senior Living Community At Elison Assisted Living of Minot!

If you’re finally ready to embrace a new life of luxurious retirement, then we’re here to welcome you home. At Elison Assisted Living of Minot, we have much to offer in our community. Located in Minot, North Dakota, we’re ideally located in the Magic City, known for its friendly local businesses, hearty eateries, and beautiful northern countryside. 

We host a wide range of amenities, social gatherings, and fine dining experiences that will easily make you feel right at home. If you’re ready to learn more about our community, schedule a tour with Elison Assisted Living of Minot today!