The 10 quality criteria to choose a residence for an elderly person

Time does not stand still and the years end up weighing down. Many times, children, grandchildren and other loved ones we consider admitting our elders to residences where they can be given the attention and care they need.

However, this is not an easy decision, nor can we make it lightly. Entering our elders in a residence always arouses doubts and mistrust, since we fear that our loved one will not be treated well.

For this reason today we are going to see a series of quality criteria to choose a residence for an elderly person and that we must take into account before making a final decision, in addition to allowing us to know if we leave our loved one in good hands.

• Related article: "The 4 psychological changes in old age (memory, attention, intelligence, creativity)"

The importance of quality criteria to choose a residence for the elderly

As people, as we age, we are worth less for ourselves and require more needs. In our old age, we lose motor skills and our brain is no longer what it used to be.

, with which we are more prone to accidents. Of course, old age is not the same for everyone, but there are still certain things that we cannot do and we need our children, grandchildren and other relatives to give us a hand.

The problem is that in the society in which we live it is difficult to be able to take care of elderly people and, at the same time, work, take care of children or take care of many other tasks. This is why many elderly relatives consider admitting them to a nursing home, not because they no longer want it but because they cannot take care of them. Your degree of dependency can be so high that, unless we are professionals, we will not be able to meet your needs and, therefore, you will have discomfort.

Nursing homes are the best alternative to guarantee the best care for our elderly grandfather or father. They are no longer the cold centers of yesteryear but, now, residences are places where there is good food, they are given a lot of attention, physical and intellectual stimulation and attempts are made to maintain contact with family members while making new friends within the center. The residences have gone from being sixties style hospitals to authentic hotels.

Unfortunately, there are not few cases of residences that have committed abuses against their residents. The workers, taking advantage of the weakness of the elderly, have denied them various rights or have not paid them the proper attention while they continued to collect. That is why the decision to admit a loved one to one of these centers can be so scary because we fear that the elderly person will end up being mistreated.

Fortunately, the 10 quality criteria to choose a residence for an elderly person that we are going to see in this article They will serve as a guide to make a decision, ensuring that we leave our loved one in good hands.

What types of nursing homes are there?

Before seeing the quality criteria to choose a residence for the elderly we are going to familiarize ourselves with the different types of centers to know where to start looking. We can categorize them based on two criteria: ownership and the degree of dependency of their residents.

1. Ownership

Depending on the ownership of the center, we can distinguish three types of residences, which are the following.

1.1. Public

Public residences are those that depend on a public body, such as the autonomous community or the city council. In the case of Spain, to be able to enter one of these residences you must comply with some requirements, set by the Dependency Law, in addition to those that may be contemplated by the community autonomous.

1.2. Concerted

The arranged residencies They are managed by private companies but, in part, their places are public or reserved by the public administration. Normally, the requirements to enter them are the same as for public residences.

1.3. Private

They are residences managed entirely by private companies. Normally, the only requirement that must be met in order to enter is to be able to pay the fees they request.

2. Degree of dependency

Old age does not affect everyone equally. There are people who reach the third age with relative autonomy, without many physical or cognitive problems. Instead, in other cases the person has a high degree of dependency and needs to be watched and cared for most of the day. Based on this we can find the following three types of residences.

2.1. Residences for self-employed seniors

These are residences whose residents are older than they do not need much help as they have high autonomy. They can lead a normal life without constantly resorting to the professionals at the center.

Usually, the residents of these centers are there because they or their relatives did not want them to stay alone in their homes, fearing that if an accident should happen, no one could help them in an emergency.

2.2. Mixed residences

In mixed residences there are both self-employed residents and dependent elderly people. The main advantage of these centers is that they cater to both types of populations and, as in old age, they can lose faculties very quickly, the residence can be adapted as the needs change increasing.

2.3. Assisted residences

They are centers that They are specifically oriented to the care of older people who suffer some type of serious impairment, both mentally and physically. There are those specialized in specific diseases, such as different types of dementias, swallowing problems, reduced motor skills ...

Criteria and tips for choosing a good residence

Once we have seen the different types of residences that there are, we can move on to the criteria and advice that we must take into account when choosing one. Regardless of how autonomous and agile our loved one is, what we want is for them to go to a center where, if something happens to them, they know how to help them. This is why we must be cautious and make sure that we are choosing a good center.

1. Assess what options there are

Before even going to see residences we must ask ourselves what options we have. It may be that our loved one does not need to enter one of these centers because there is a relative or friend who can take care of him and he prefers it.

Although entering a residence does not mean disconnecting from the family or the social environment, it is true that, if they do not know how to manage it, the person may become isolated from their loved ones. Although this risk associated with residences is relatively low, we must take it into account before deciding to enter our eldest in one.

• You may be interested in: "Types of dementias: the 8 forms of loss of cognition"

2. Visit the residence

Before deciding we must look at what residences there are. We cannot enroll our elder in the first center we meet, since that place is probably where he lives for the rest of his days. The best way to see what a residence is like is to go to it and see what services and infrastructures it has. The first impression of the place can give us a lot of information about the residence and help us make a decision.

Being in the center we must ask the workers to show us the facilities and see if they feel comfortable doing it. If this is not the case, it means that they have to hide something, such as poor facilities or abuse against the elderly, such as tying them to the bed or not cleaning them.

Elderly people have a fragile health, associated with a weak immune system, with which, hygiene, food and good treatment are essential aspects to protect them from any disease. Going to the center we can see if this is respected and, also, if the workers behave with kindness towards the elderly.

3. Find out about the operation and hours of the center

No matter how healthy our elder is, moving to a residence with new people is a very intense experience, full of questions, doubts and fears. This experience can be truly traumatic if it is poorly managed. This is why, when we contact the residence, It is essential to ask if there is any type of reception protocol or if the adaptation of the residents is facilitated.

It is also important to know how the center guarantees and encourages the autonomy of its residents, including physical therapy and occupational therapy programs, as well as exercise sessions and other activities. It is advisable to ask if there are activities that are carried out individually and personalized to the needs of the resident and if they receive continuous care

One aspect that we must not forget to ask is whether the center satisfies all the social and emotional needs of residents. The center should not limit itself to “taking care” of the residents by feeding them, helping them with their hygiene and little else. Social activities should be carried out, both with people from the center itself and with people from abroad, in addition to facilitating visits from family members

The residence must provide us what are the residence forms to contact the relatives of the admitted in case of emergency. In addition, they must give us some contact so that the family can know the health status and needs of their elder.

Also, we must ask the workers about how easy it is for residents to go out for a walk, visit friends and establish contact with the outside world. It is essential to know how easy it is to stay in contact with the outside environment, since your self-esteem depends a lot on your social relationships.

• You may be interested in: "Mental health: definition and characteristics according to psychology"

4. Location

When looking for a residence it is very important that it is not too far from where our eldest lived. If possible, we should select a residence that is close to your family and friends, so that he can visit him frequently and that he himself can make contact with his old neighbors and acquaintances in the neighborhood.

It is not at all advisable to look for a residence very far from his old home, since we run the risk that the older one will isolate himself. By not having friends, family and neighbors close by, the elderly person may not have the strength to socialize with the new people he has just met in that same residence. This will harm his mental health.

5. Observe if the information of the center is visible

Another aspect that gives us more confidence in a center is when it has all its licenses placed in visible places. Whether at the entrance, at the reception or somewhere, We must be able to see what regulations it complies with, what recognition it has from the public administration and if it has won an award for its services.

The center itself can provide us with this information as soon as you visit its website or when we contact it. However, if this is not the case, we must ask what it complies with.

If the center complies with all that is necessary, it is most likely that they will not have any impediment in showing us their licenses. In the event that you do not provide us with this information, there are reasons to worry and think that, really, some illegal activity is being committed in that place.

In Spain, among the licenses that this type of institution must comply with, we have the following.

5.1. Activity and Opening License

It shows that the center complies with the security measures, both the physical institution itself and the activities carried out in it. This license is granted by the city council.

5.2. Authorization of Operation and inclusion in the Registry of Social Centers and Services of the Community Government

Through their inspection services, the autonomous communities must control that the residences comply with the conditions that are marked. Also, they should check that these centers have the necessary staff to be able to carry out their activity.

5.3. Health Authorization for the Food Processing Service and Collective Canteens

This authorization is essential in any public establishment where food is handled, served or produced. It is the legislation that certifies what requirements are necessary to carry out restoration activities.

5.4. Authorization of the Department of Health of the Autonomous Communities

This authorization demonstrates that the center complies with the standards established for the provision of medical and nursing services to the public.

6. Correct conditioning

It is normal that in old age we have limited motor skills, with which, any architectural obstacle can significantly reduce our well-being. For this residences must be designed in such a way as to avoid such obstaclessuch as steep steps and slopes. Furthermore, if the center has more than one floor, it should have at least one elevator installed.

The corridors must have an adequate width, having handrails on their sides and with correct lighting. There should be telephones not only in rooms, but also in hallways and other common places, in addition to having a speed dial number that alerts reception or emergencies in case of accident.

Ideally, each resident should have their own room, but if not, at most there should be two beds in each, placed in such a way as to respect the privacy of their residents. There must be a good heating system in the rooms. Each room should have a sink, a toilet, and a shower.

The sinks must be adapted for people in wheelchairs or other motor limitations, and they must also have hot water. The shower must have a closing system that allows it to be opened from the outside in the event of an accident.

Must see if they have gardens or outdoor spaces for residents toIn case they cannot go outside, at least they can clear themselves by taking the air inside the enclosure.

7. Feeding

Given that in the elderly there may be any digestive problem that conditions the life of the affected person, it is essential that the center has an individualized food service. In addition, we must inform ourselves if there is the possibility that residents order food between hours or if, on the contrary, they must stick to specific hours.

We must ask about who makes the menu, if the residence itself is in charge with their service of kitchen and a nutritionist or if, on the contrary, the food is entrusted to a catering company.

8. Ask about the services offered

In residences it is common for medical emergencies to occur, which is why it is preferable that these centers have their own health personnel to attend to these problems as quickly as possible.

The professionals that should be in the residences are doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists. Ideally, these services are their own and that the company demonstrates it.

It is often the case that many residences claim to have these services but what really happens is that they are provided by a nearby health center. This is not a bad thing but it is preferable that the residence already has these integrated services, since it will offer a more individualized and efficient attention in case of an emergency.

But not all important services are related to health. It's fundamental know what motor skills and occupational therapy workshops are like, in addition to knowing what recreational activities are carried out, like excursions, plastic, macramé or aquaerobic.

9. Read the contract

As with any other service, we must read the contract. It is preferable to request this document as soon as you go to a residence hall for the first time and, if possible, take it home to read it more carefully. The importance of this lies in the fact that we are going to leave our loved one in their hands and, in case they do not comply with the provisions of the contract, we can take legal action.

Among the aspects that we must look at are when to start billing, what is the monthly amount and what services are included. The document must specify that The guardianship and custody of all the resident's personal and health information is assumed, in accordance with the Data Protection Law (Spain).

10. Price and services included

As we can suppose, residences for the elderly are not cheap. On average, in Spain, its price is around € 1,700 per month. If we find a residence with a monthly price much lower than this, it is best to discard it because, surely, it does not offer all the basic services for the proper care of people old women.

The ideal is to request a closed price or budget. In some residences there are extra services, such as hairdressing or podiatry, which are usually charged separately, something that we discover at the end of the month when they send us the invoice. With a closed budget we will know exactly what is included in the price.

Bibliographic references:

• Acceplan-IMSERSO (2003): White Paper on Accessibility. IMSERSO. Madrid.
• Acceplan (2007): Adaptation of housing in the dependent population: needs, solutions and costs. FIPROS 2005/136 project. Ministry of labor and social affairs. Secretary of State for Social Security. Directorate General for the Organization of Social Security. Madrid.
• CIS-IMSERSO (2006): Living Conditions of the Elderly. Study No. 2,647. Madrid
• Dizy Menéndez, D., Fernández Moreno, M. and Ruiz Cañete, O. (2006): Older people in a situation of dependency. Proposal for a mixed protective model and estimate of the cost of insurance in Spain. 1st Age & Life Award, Barcelona.