Moving into a seniors’ residence (RPA) is an important step in the lives of aging people. If your parents are thinking about taking the plunge, here are some questions they should ask themselves to make sure they’re making the right choice.
According to Marc Fortin, CEO of the Regroupement québécois des résidences pour ains (RQRA), one of the first things to ask yourself is if you are really ready to move.
“It’s essential to ask yourself the question, especially when you’re in a relationship. Both spouses must want to change their lives, because if opinions differ on this, it can end up causing friction,” he says.
Choose a living environment
Another crucial question: where will the RPA be located?
Generally, parents will want to stay close to their children and friends. Living in an RPA close to expressways to facilitate visits may be another option. We must also ask ourselves if they prefer to live in an urban environment or in a peaceful environment removed from the intense activity of the city.
Of course, you also have to think in terms of budget and desired services. Are they autonomous people, do they need an attendant to help them with a few tasks of their daily life, or on the contrary do they need to provide several hours of care per day? Be aware that this will increase the bill. The same goes for meals: when you take them all to the dining room, it will necessarily cost more.
Care requirements will also guide the choice of RPA, because the offer varies from one to another: while some offer care units for seniors with loss of autonomy, others are content with a nurse on site and access to a doctor on request. Here again, it is necessary to clearly assess its needs.
“If one of the members of the couple has poorer health and requires increasing care, choosing an RPA with care units will allow both spouses to continue to live in the same residence,” explains Marc Fortin. One can stay in the accommodation while the other will be cared for in another unit. This prevents couples from having to live through heartbreaking separations.
The importance of the visit
When the list of potential RPAs is narrowed down to just a few, then it’s time to proceed with the visit. The latter is essential to feel the atmosphere that reigns in the residence, to know if your parents feel comfortable there and can imagine spending their next years there.
While some like tall buildings, others will prefer a smaller building with fewer residents. The decoration, the furnishings, the style that emanates from the residence, everything is important.
“During the visit, observe the people around you. Are they smiling and ready to start a conversation or on the contrary more withdrawn? You have to try to project yourself into this environment and ask yourself if you will feel good there,” advises Marc Fortin.
Also make sure that the maintenance of the premises is beyond reproach, that the staff is attentive to the needs of the residents, that the meals are appetizing and the menus varied. It is often possible to request a meal in the dining room. In doing so, we take the opportunity to strike up a conversation with our table neighbors to get their opinion on life in this residence.
Other factors to consider
- Also consider the surroundings of the residence. If your parents would like to have services nearby (grocery store, pharmacy, bank, medical clinic, park, library, etc.), check that they are accessible.
- Review the list of activities offered. The range is varied (swimming pool, physical activity, painting, music, bowling, gardening, etc.), be sure to choose a residence offering those that really interest your parents.
- You shouldn’t wait for a parent’s health to deteriorate too much before thinking about moving them to an RPA. This is a big change and the person will adapt more easily to their new environment if they are able to make friends there and are still relatively independent.
- A common mistake is to choose a residence based on your own criteria and not on what is good for your parents. Let them express themselves during the visit!