Senior communities come in all shapes and sizes, but with one solid goal: to improve the lives of older adults as they retire or require additional care. Senior communities are also referred to as independent living, assisted living, and nursing homes, but they all differ. Independent living allows seniors to live independently, as the name implies, but with additional healthcare and community amenities dedicated specifically to seniors. Assisted living refers to a more hands-on approach to caring for older adults who are moderately independent but require assistance with daily life. Nursing homes are for older adults or people who need round-the-clock care, supervision, and attention, including those who need memory care for dementia or Alzheimer’s. Regardless of the type of community you need for yourself or a loved one, recognizing red flags is important to prevent scams, abuse, or low-quality care. The red flags won’t always be glaringly obvious, so it’s vital to learn what to look for.
Lack of Staff
There should always be an adequate amount of staff to supervise and provide care for their residents. Even in independent living communities, staff should be regularly available to assist seniors with housing repairs or resident conflicts. If you find an empty reception desk or residents waiting for care, consider other options. Staffing should always be present, attentive, and thoroughly rotated.
Long Wait Times
One of the main symptoms of inadequate policies or lack of staff is long wait times. If it takes months to schedule a tour or hours to speak to a receptionist, it could be a red flag. A lack of staff or an overcrowded facility can lead to cut corners, lapses in care, or inadequate security. Determine the reason why you may be experiencing a long wait time. Holidays can be busy times for staff, residents, and their families. Popular facilities may be booked for tours due to other families being interested. Outside of these general reasons, you shouldn’t have to wait excessively long to see staff or schedule a tour.
Wandering Without Supervision
In assisted living or nursing home communities, residents will need adequate supervision, security, and care in daily life. One of the telltale symptoms of dementia is wandering, as patients can forget what they’re doing or where they’re going, which results in trying to leave an area or facility unsafely. Wandering can be easy to point out most of the time; an unsupervised resident leaving an area or community could be a red flag if they seem disconnected from their surroundings. Wandering may be evidence of neglect, inadequate staff numbers, or a lapse in security.
Odors or Lapses in Cleanliness
An unexplained foul odor throughout your community tour can indicate a bad sign. Of course, accidents happen, particularly in medical facilities. However, if the smell is lingering or widespread, please pay attention. Similarly, inadequate cleanliness can be a sign of neglect or mismanagement. Many nursing homes, like Charleston Healthcare Center, have faced violations and fines for neglect and safety stemming from sanitation issues. Dirty or unclean communities can lead to discomfort, infection, or even death among senior populations.
Uninformed Employees
Community staff should be well-informed about policies, care, amenities, community history, and security. Security officers may not know about healthcare, but they should be able to answer relevant security questions. Similarly, nurses may not know how the security cameras work in detail, but they should know they’re there and how the patients are safely monitored. If multiple employees cannot answer any questions you have, it could indicate a lack of training or communication among staff.
Impolite Treatment
Every community or business has its stressful or rushed days. However, prospective and current residents should always be treated fairly and with respect. It is within a resident’s right to be treated with respect. If one or more staff members are rude to you, your family, or other residents, there is no excuse. Yelling, insulting, manipulating, ignoring, or aggression shouldn’t be tolerated. Trust your gut; if staff aren’t treating you fairly, it’s likely not a good fit.
Excessive Silence
Senior communities should be bustling with residents, tours, staff, and daily activities. Amenities like crafts, movies, sports, exercise, family visits, and therapy will naturally generate a lot of noise. The noise shouldn’t be overwhelming, but it should be fairly noticeable, especially in common areas. If it’s eerily or unnaturally quiet during visiting hours, it could be a sign there isn’t an adequate amount of amenities or care.
Partial Tours
The entire public community should be accessible when you tour it. Staff should never block your access to a common area without reason. Some days may have private events or parties that you might not be able to access, but you should be able to schedule a tour another day if that applies. Blocking off a common area or refusing to show you the memory care wing could be a red flag. Of course, staff areas, security equipment, or records rooms will likely be private, but if residents are allowed in an area that you’re not, keep your guard up. Inquire why certain areas are inaccessible to tours.
Crowding
While you’ll want a community to be popular, you don’t want it to be too crowded. Overcrowding can cause a lapse in care, security, or staff. Hallways, rooms, and common areas should be easily walked through. Furniture or care equipment shouldn’t block traffic. There should be plenty of private areas and bedrooms for residents. Waiting periods may be normal, but lengthy waiting periods could indicate a bad fit. You don’t want to add to the crowd.