Assisted Living: Everything you need to know to compassionately care for your elderly parent

By Davis Zavik

I wrote this book for the person whose loved one requires additional assistance in searching for a place to live out their golden years. Whether they are your parent, partner, or sibling, know that you’re not alone in your search. This book will be a useful tool that you can carry with you and gather information you need to make well-infor

• Language: English
• Publisher: Davis
• Release date: Apr 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9780692687994

Davis Zavik

Davis Zavik has created a resourceful guide to assisted living for anyone caring for an aging loved one. She is a sociology graduate from the University of Miami, a licensed assisted living facility administrator, facility owner and operator, assisted living consultant and keynote speaker. With fresh perspectives on the world of assisted living, Davis has earned a reputation for being kind-hearted, compassionate and highly knowledgeable in senior care. She is regarded as a passionate advocate for the elderly and prides herself in bringing dignity back to aging.

Book preview

Assisted Living

Everything you need to know to compassionately care for your elderly parent

Written by: Davis Zavik, BA in Sociology from the University of Miami, Florida Assisted Living Facility Administrator, and Facility Owner

Foreword by: MD & Ph. D Julio Cesar Penalver Gonzalez

This book is dedicated to my Grandma Wilma Mitchell and my Grandma Dora Firth- Thank you both for being the best grandmas in the world, I wouldn’t be who I am today without your love and support.

P.S. I love you more.

Support the elderly- 100% of all profits are donated to charity

All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no portion of this book can be replicated without written consent from the publisher, excluding a reviewer who can quote short passages in a review with suitable recognitions. No part of this book can be copied in any way without written approvals from the publisher. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

The materials covered in this book are not presented as legal, financial or medical guidance. Readers who require this kind of assistance should find the skills of licensed legal, financial, and medical specialists. The publisher and the author expressly reject any accountability for any liability, loss or hazard (financial, private etc.), which can be stated as a consequence from the use and/or application of any of the concerns of this book.

This publication is a supportive and useful resource for family of aging loved ones and specialists. Author is based in Florida and regulations are strongly reflective of Florida statutes, although regulations vary from state to state. All suggestions have been made without guarantee on the behalf of the author; the author and publisher reject any accountability in relation with the use of this material.

First edition: March 2016

Visit www.alfliving.com for additional resources and to order more copies.

Forward:

I encourage you to read this book very deliberately. It speaks to a fundamental truth that has become lost- or at the very least, obscured- in modern times. We are consistently bombarded by messages telling us that senior care is too expensive, scary, lacking dignity or only used by people who don’t care enough for their loved one. The true reality of staying at home for most seniors includes isolation, little mental stimulation, unsupervised nutrition, more money spent on a private caregiver who most likely won’t be there around the clock, and constant uncertainty regarding their bills and affairs. All of this commonly leads to depression and tension on your relationship with your loved one. This has resulted in people struggling with the task of caring for their loved ones themselves, leading to high stress and less time spent with their kids and spouses and higher expenses. There is a better way to live, and it’s much greater than you could have ever imagined. As you’ll learn more of in this book, assisted living facilities are small communities intended to provide a place to live, personal care services and health care to elderly individuals in need of help with their activities of daily living. In an assisted living setting, you’ll find a community of like-minded people who become friends, around the clock care, families visiting their parent(s) constantly, and a safe place to live with dignity and independence. Think of them as the midway point between independent living and a nursing home.

Davis is the master. I should know because I followed her path and watched her transform herself from sociology student, to senior assisted living expert and humanitarian. As a graduate in Sociology from the University of Miami, she knows how to think critically about human social life, understanding human social relationships, and holds the ability to look beyond normal, taken-for-granted views of reality, to provide deeper, more illuminating understandings of social life. She puts to rest conventional assumptions about assisted living for seniors, and explains everything you need to know to get the best care for you aging parent. The first time I met Davis Zavik, I could tell she was someone special. She is consistent, reliable, positive and warm hearted. Davis delivers practical resources to the greatest senior care imaginable, giving us the tools needed to make it work for our unique situations. Fortunately, she’s now written a book that will enable you to tap into your caregiving potential.

As an MD with a Ph. D in Biological Psychology, I have a great understanding of senior medical needs. Over the years I’ve been one of the leading healthcare experts, dedicated to teaching and scientific research. Among many endeavors, I have opened a handful of memory clinics for seniors around the world and was the president of the Latin American Psychiatric Association. I had the pleasure of working with many elderly individuals in my practice and after having read this book, Assisted Living, my only thoughts were that I wish it had been written sooner. I would have recommended it to all of my patients and their families. When asked what was the most surprising part about working with the elderly, I always say it was the fact that they waited too long to seek care. In fact, most individuals and their families waited until they had health issues before making the decision to seek proper assistance. As a physician who cares deeply for all seniors, I advise you from a place of compassion not to wait until your loved one is too old or too sick to seek care.

I love this book, and I deeply respect the woman who created it. Thank you Davis- Assisted Living is certain to become a classic in its realm, and I’m grateful that you have asked me to write this foreword for it. As an experienced doctor, I celebrate because of all the effort that you put into this monumental work, and I know millions of people will be celebrating as well. If you have an aging parent or loved one who needs care and you only read one book this year, make it this one.

-MD, Ph. D, Julio Cesar Penalver Gonzalez,

Neuroscientist, Biological Psychiatry,

Neuropsychopharmacology, Cognition Rehabilitation,

Elderly Memory Clinic Doctor

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

What is an ALF?

How Does Assisted Living Relate to You?

Aging Parents and the Sandwich Generation

Why is Assisted Living so Important?

Questions and Answers:

1. Do Assisted Living Facilities need to have a license or can any residential home with caregivers tend to my loved one?

2. What kind of care is provided with a standard license?

3. What happens to the property and personal affairs of my loved one when moving into an ALF?

4. How does a facility decide on the suitability of placement and continued residency?

5. What are the resident care standards of an ALF?

6. Where do they store my loved one's medications

7. What does assistance with self-administration of medication mean?

8. What are the staffing standards at an ALF?

9. What are some of the food service standards in place at an ALF?

10. What should we expect to see in a resident contract?

11. What security features will you find at a typical assisted living community?

12. How do you talk to a family member about the need for assisted living?

13. Who do you talk to when you can't persuade a loved one to move into assisted living?

14. What do you do when a family disagrees over the necessity for assisted living? What if parents are divided and what if siblings are divided?

15. What are the obligations of a facility if a resident is injured onsite?

16. Are residents able to move out of an assisted living facility if they don't like it?

17. Before moving into an ALF, does my loved one need clearance from their physician?

18. What is commonly required to move a loved one from their existing residence to an ALF closer to their family?

19. How do I relocate a loved one into an assisted living facility when I don't live nearby?

20. What’s the difference between a shared room and a private room?

21. What are the standard activities presented for residents in an ALF?

22. How do I deal with a prejudiced loved one in a diverse assisted living facility?

23. How do ALF's manage resident disagreements?

24. What kind of resident support groups are accessible at most ALF's?

25. How do assisted living facilities manage dietary requests?

26. Do ALF's permit residents eat their food in their room? Can they bring the meal to their room?

27. Do most assisted living facilities offer transportation?

28. Do most assisted living facilities offer doctors visits?

29. What are the collective policies on bedding, towels, clothing and personal items?

30. How is laundry handled?

31. Do most ALF's have a swimming

32. Do most facilities permit their residents to use their personal furniture and belongings?

33. Can a resident keep their car while living in an ALF?

34. How does a facility work with residents to remove driving privileges?

35. Would you say that most facilities animal-friendly?

36. Do most facilities permit smoking in rooms or designated areas?

37. Is there access to alcohol in most ALF’s

38. Is it possible for ALF residents to have family stay overnight with them?

39. Who has access to the resident rooms in an ALF?

40. Do most ALF's provide access to Wi-Fi for residents?

41. Do most assisted living facilities come equipped with a workout room?

42. Is around the clock maintenance included in the total amount of the assisted living fee?

43. Do most facilities use security cameras?

44. Do most ALF’s take in elderly with mental health conditions like bipolar, depression or schizophrenia?

45. What is aging in place and how can I be realistic about the present or future necessities of my loved one?

46. Do most ALF's offer safes