Choosing a Top Quality Nursing Home

Choosing a Top Quality Nursing Home

3 Things To Know About Independent Living Facilities And Pets

by Tony Grant

If you are trying to convince your mom to move to an independent living facility (such as Kind-er Care, Inc.), one of her concerns might be that she does not want to give up her dog. The good news is that many independent living communities allow residents to have pets, including dogs, and this might be just what your mom needs to hear. Here are three things you should know about independent living communities and pets.

There might be restrictions

The first question to ask an independent living facility is whether or not they allow pets. If they do, find out if there are any restrictions. The facility may only allow certain types of pets, and they may have size restrictions. As long as your mom's pet qualifies, she will be able to bring it with her when she moves in.

They may offer a pet coordinator

The second thing to find out is if the facility has a pet coordinator. A pet coordinator is a person that is responsible for assisting and monitoring the pets living at the facility. If there is a coordinator at the community, he or she will:

  • Be responsible for approving pets
  • Arrange services to help the residents care for the pets
  • Assist residents with purchasing food for their pets
  • Determine where the pets are allowed within common areas of the community
  • Ensure that the pets are cared for through regular veterinarian services

If the facility doesn't have a pet coordinator, you may need to check up on your mom and her pet more frequently and complete the duties listed above.

Why they allow pets

Finally, it's important for you to encourage your mom to keep her pet, if possible, because having a pet could actually be beneficial for her health. Having a pet gives a person a sense of meaning, and a pet can be a really good companion. Pets help seniors feel less isolated, and they are actually therapeutic.

According to numerous studies conducted on this subject, seniors that have pets may actually have lower blood pressure, and they may feel healthier overall. This is one of the reasons nursing homes and independent living facilities often offer pet therapy.

Making the decision to move your mom into an assisted living facility is a big step in life, but you may have an easier time convincing her to do this if she knows that she is allowed to bring her pet with her.


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About Me

Choosing a Top Quality Nursing Home

When you're facing putting your loved one into a nursing home or assisted living facility, you want to make the best possible choice for your loved one. That can be difficult when you don't know much about the nursing homes in your area, or about what you should be looking for in a nursing home to begin with. It's a good idea to tour as many facilities in your area as possible to get an idea of which ones you like, but you still need to know what the signs of a good or bad nursing home are. I used to work as a kitchen assistant in long term care facilities, and I learned a lot about them during that time. I started this blog to share some of my insights into what makes a nursing home great, and how to spot problems in a facility that you're considering.

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