For your convenience, we've gathered some of the most frequently asked questions about Loving Care Living and the Assisted Living Transition.

What is an Assisted Living community?
Assisted living is a long-term care option for elders who need a level of  assistance higher than that of a retirement community, but not as extensive as a medical or nursing home or hospital. It provides an independent lifestyle with customized assistance. Assisted Living residences allow elders to maintain a sense of independence and are involved in a social community; while at the same time provide the assistance with daily life and peace of mind that comes with a professional support team. Assisted Living communities are suited for residents who need assistance in their daily lives, including preparing their meals, facilitating transportation, maintaining their homes, assisting with hygiene, and managing their medication. It’s also a good option for some residents living with Memory Loss and Dementia, as well as mobility limitations, incontinence, or other conditions common in one’s senior years.

How do you select your caregivers? 

All of our caregivers have successfully completed a thorough interview process, reference and criminal background checks, and undergo regular drug testing.  Once hired they receive extensive training including: resident needs, aging process, medication management, and much more.  This training is ongoing throughout their employment with regular in-service classes by skilled professionals in the health care community including subjects like hospice care, dementia and Alzheimer’s care.  Our staff is able to keep up with the latest trends and information on caring for elderly residents.

What makes Loving Care different from other Assisted Living Companies? 
We ensure that each resident is cared for based on their individual and unique needs. We work hard to personalize each experience and not only attend to daily physical needs but emotional needs as well.  Our ratio of Caregivers to residents is higher than industry standards.  We strive to achieve a family and home-like environment.  We also encourage resident participation in daily life activities  (helping with meals, setting the table, round table discussions) as much as they are physically able given their personal limitations.  This allows our residents to engage and gives them a sense of normalcy in their new environment.

Can we bring our own furniture? 
 
Yes!  Your loved ones are encouraged to bring furniture pieces, photo albums, and other personal belongings to personalize their loving care experience.  However, we are happy to provide furniture for each resident.

Do you accept Hospice Patients? 
 
An advantage of Loving Care is that we have approved hospice waivers from the State of California that allow our residents to transition into hospice care on-site.  This eliminates the uncertainty and frustration that would accompany another move into a skilled nursing facility during their end of life transition.

How many residents live at Loving Care?
While the average Assisted Living residence is comprised of 30 beds and 23 residents (based on a 2000 NCAL survey), Loving Care boasts the personalized care of 6 residents per community.  All of our communities not only are constructed in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, they are designed with a personal touch.  We are committed to creating an environment that easily lends itself to one-on-one care rather than relying on the institutionalized setting that is commonly associated with assisted living.
    

Are there any limitations on visiting?
No.  We encourage as much family and friend involvement as possible.  We encourage you to sit on our outdoor patio or join us for a meal at our dining room table!
    

Can the resident make phone calls or have a telephone in their room?
Residents can use the house phone as often as they like to call family and friends…and family and friends are more than welcome to call as often as they like. Some residents do maintain cell phones.
  

Are we free to take our loved one for an outing?
Residents’ families are free to sign out their loved ones for daytime outings.  We do ask that the timing of these outings be planned with staff to ensure medication schedules are maintained.
  

How does the resident get to and from doctor’s appointments?
We encourage family members to attend all appointments with their loved one. However, we understand that scheduling can be difficult at times so we are able to transport the resident to and from the doctor.  In this case, one of our administrating staff accompanies the resident to the doctor, tends to medication changes, follow up visits, prescriptions, and reports back to the family.
 

What happens if my loved one has to go to the hospital?
If there is a medical emergency, then our staff will call 911 and our administrating staff will accompany the resident to the hospital and remain by their side until a family member or primary physician arrives.  The staff member will also transport the resident home.

We know there are many more questions that arise when considering the best care option for your loved one.  If you haven’t found the answers to your questions here, don’t hesitate to call us.