When is it Necessary to Change Care Settings?

There are three major factors to consider when you’re wondering if it’s time to seek other living solutions.

1. Safety

2. Ability

3. Engagement

Safety: Primary issue – Does the person’s ability to judge risk and ability match previous skills & are you comfortable with it?

• How safe is the person where they are? Physically? Cognitively? Emotionally? Socially? Spiritually?
• Do they still have good judgment? Have they shown changes over time in this area?
• Do the challenges of being where and how they are match abilities and interests? What’s new?
• Is the set-up and environment secure enough and stable enough for them at this point in time?
• What appliances, equipment, or tasks are risky? Are there supports in place and plans to monitor?
• Have you checked in with other sources and people to verify and validate your beliefs and feelings?

Ability: Primary issue – Does the person still have the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional capacity to stay where and how they are?

• Are their balance, coordination, strength, endurance and motor control skills adequate for demands?
• Are their vision, hearing, sense of touch, pain awareness/responses OK for what is needed in the setting?
• Are there still people available who the person connects to and spends time with? Is the time productive?

Engagement: Primary issue – Does the person DO things, not just talk about doing it? Is their support system in place to keep it going?

• Is the person still able to go where they want to go, have fun, feel valued and productive, meet spiritual needs, have social contact and fill their time?
• Is the person able to use systems that exist to DO what they need to do and want to do? Has this changed over time?
• Is the support system becoming stressed with supporting this person?

The GreenFields Continuing Care Community offers a variety of living arrangements and support levels based on individual needs. This includes independent living apartments in GreenField Manor; assisted living apartments in GreenField Court; memory care and enhanced assisted living in GreenField Terrace; and skilled nursing, respite care, rehabilitation and outpatient therapy at GreenField Health & Rehabilitation Center.

For more information about The GreenFields Continuing Care Community, visit greenfields.staging.wpengine.com.