However, those are just numbers. Your parent isn’t a number. Your loved one isn’t a statistic. If they end up in the 52%, you want to be sure that their needs are being met. You don’t want them living in a cold, impersonal facility where they can’t do things they enjoy.
It’s natural to worry about those things, and natural to wonder what their day-to-day life will be like after they move. To help answer some of your questions, let’s take a look at the day in the life of an Optalis long-term care resident.
Good Morning!
A resident’s day begins promptly at… whenever they want!
Optalis communities practice natural rising, meaning each resident has the freedom to wake when they choose. They won’t be rushed out of bed if they prefer to sleep in, nor forced to stay in bed if they’re early risers.
Similarly, breakfast isn’t served at a set time. Rather, residents can eat when they’re ready. It’s all part of the two main goals of the dining team: enjoyment and selection.
When it comes to selection, Optalis communities offer plenty of tasty foods. While the team makes an effort to follow healthy diet guidelines, the food isn’t the bland fare most people associate with skilled nursing facilities of old. Rather, a tasty array of community favorites, seasonal menus and homemade soups and desserts are offered to whet appetites.
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Related: What is Long-Term Care?
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Crafting the Perfect Day
What would your parent be doing if they weren’t living in a long-term care community?
Whatever your answer to that question is, an average day at an Optalis community won’t look much different.
For example, if your loved one enjoys socializing with friends, there will be plenty of opportunities for them to meet new people and make new friends. It’s also easy to stay in touch with old friends with 24-visitation and in-room phones. Or, if your parent likes to get out into the greater Columbus area, there are transportation and group outings available.
A resident can spend the early morning in a beautiful outdoor courtyard, hop over to a Bible study group, and take part in a coffee social over lunch. Maybe they’d like to try their luck at Bingo in the afternoon, enjoy a delicious dinner with friends, and then relax in the evening in front of their TV or curled up with a good book. But none of those things are set in stone — it’s up to each resident to decide how they would like to spend their time.
There are plenty of activities and amenities to help them pursue their interests. Their lifestyle doesn’t have to stop simply because they’ve moved to a community that provides skilled nursing care.
Time for Errands?
Is it laundry day? Or perhaps time for a haircut? Optalis provides on-site amenities to help residents enjoy a convenient, supportive way of life.
Optalis communities offer amenities such as personal laundry and linen services, on-site barber and beauty shops, personal billing assistance and more. Whether those errands fell on your shoulders or your parent’s, you can cross them off the list as they’ll now be taken care of for you.
24/7 Skilled Nursing Support
However, all this is not to say that their average day will be exactly the same as it was before the move. After all, the purpose of long-term care is to provide support for activities of daily living (ADLs) that have become a challenge.
So, for instance, if your mother has trouble bathing and dressing, someone will be there to help her get ready for the day. Or say your father frequently forgets his medication and has difficulty swallowing — he’ll receive the assistance he needs.
At Optalis, our mission is to provide person-centered care. This means that we’ll work to ensure your parent is receiving individualized care that takes into account their input, as well as that of their family and physicians.
Whatever areas they need help in, we’ll be there to provide the necessary assistance. Permanent staffing assignments give members of our team a chance to really get to know your parent or loved one, to learn their likes, their dislikes, what makes them happy, what makes them frustrated.
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Related: How Often Should I Visit My Loved One in Long-Term Care?
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Questions About Life at an Optalis Long-Term Care Community?
Optalis care communities provide long-term care in Columbus, Ohio and the surrounding area. You can learn more about each community by visiting their pages:
Also, feel free to contact us at any time with questions. We’re happy to help!
