Seniors of Louisiana

How to Find Great Senior Housing: A Roadmap for Elders and Those Who Love Them (2nd edition)

Description

When Alzheimer’s disease claimed her father, Phyllis Staff, Ph.D., an experimental psychologist, began a search for quality care. After 28 years diagnosing and solving problems for educational and Fortune 500 organizations, she assumed that this would be her easiest assignment ever. She was wrong. Her challenging search took years and included the systematic investigation of thousands of elder care properties.

In How to Find great Senior Housing: A Roadmap for Elders and Those Who Love Them (Second Edition), she shares the step-by-step method for finding great care that grew out of her research. Sixteen worksheets and checklists guide readers through every phase. Appendices list names and telephone numbers of essential resources.

Reviews

Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2006-05-23
Summary: "Excellent Advice and Extensive Research"

Phyllis Staff spent years researching the topic of senior housing and the result is this well researched book on finding the best elder care. There are checklists and worksheets so you know which question to ask and the resource section is very helpful for locating information fast. The main sections include:

Choosing Care Suited to Your Elder's Needs
How Will You Pay For Long-Term Care?
Stretching Your Long-Term Care Dollars
Create A List Of Potential Facilities
Research The Parent Company
The Telephone Interview
Go Early to Scout Out the Neighborhood
First Impressions Count
Meet the Property Staff
Touring the Property
Meals
Talking With Elderly Residents
Reviewing Facility Records
Expenses: What to Expect
The Unannounced Visit
Trust But Verify
Finalize Your Selection
Documents For Safe-Keeping

How to Find Great Senior Housing not only discusses Nursing Home Care, it also addresses Adult Day Care, Hospice Care and Independent Living. By reading this book you can get an excellent idea of what type of care is needed and this can save a lot of time when searching for specific locations that provide specific types of care. Whether you are looking for outside help or you need full-time care, this book has many practical solutions.

Throughout there are "Red Flags" like: "Reluctance to allow you to eat and converse with residents can be a sign of a poor property."

Award Bonus Points include notes that address various issues. One example includes: "Staff who address residents as friends rather than children point to a high quality of care."

With so much to think about when addressing senior housing, I can't think of a better book to make you aware of all the factors involved in such a complex decision. When you want the best for your family, this book will show you how to find the best senior housing in your area.

~The Rebecca Review

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Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2004-03-03
Summary: "You ought to read this book!! James A. Hall, MD"

"This is a practical, readable book. It addresses a problem we'll all face if we live long lives - finding the best place to live, both for ourselves and for those we love. You may prefer to postpone thinking about this problem. If so, you're foolish.... You ought to read this book!" Submitted by Research Assistant on behalf of James Hall, MD (Dallas, Texas)

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Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2004-03-02
Summary: "They Will See You Comming"

After reading Phyllis Staff's book on Finding Great Senior Housing, I could not get the following picture out of my mind:

The facility's marketing director is looking out her window waiting for her next appointment to arrive. When she sees them coming up the walk, she goes to front door to meet them. The welcoming smile suddenly changes when she notices they are carrying a copy of Finding Great Senior Housing. She knows these people will have the right questions and will want them answered.

When you see that expression you will be able to quickly tell how proud she is of her facility. This a must read if you anticipate you or an elder in your family may choose an eldercare facility as the best living option.

John Boden, CMC
Geriatric Care Manager