There may soon come a day when your parent can no longer live at home alone, and you may be responsible for finding the right place for him or her to move to. If you decide to move your parent from home into an assisted living center, you should know every assisted living center is very different.

Because your parent has unique needs, you may need to visit several centers in order to find the best one for him or her. As you look for one, here are two features you may want to find in the center you choose.

Transportation Services

If you are the person who handles the majority of your parent's transportation needs, one of the features you may desperately need from an assisted living facility is transportation services. While some facilities may offer this, others may not, and this could be a major factor in your decision. With transportation services, your parent will have a ride to:

• Doctor appointments
• Grocery stores
• Pharmacies
• Church
• Social activities

When a center offers transportation services, there is also a good chance they may plan day trips for residents. This could include trips to museums, parks, and movie theaters.

If you select a facility that offers this, you will not be responsible for transporting your parent to these places. You may need to track your parent's appointments though so you can let the staff know when they are. There may be deadlines to meet too, and you should be aware of how this service works.

Social Activities

Staying active is one of the most important things seniors can do; however, it is something many fail to do. When seniors live alone and have limited mobility, they may not be able to stay active. If they live in assisted living, they may have more opportunities to stay active because a lot of facilities offer activities for the residents.

If this is important to you for your parent, you will have to scour around to find an assisted living center that offers activities for seniors. While most offer some activities, others may really focus on this particular aspect of life, and they may offer more opportunities for the residents. Here are some examples of activities that may be available for your parent to do:

• Exercise groups – Exercise is important for the body and mind, and it can help keep a person mobile and healthy. The downside to exercising is that it can be dangerous if a senior does it alone. When a center offers this to residents, there will be a trained instructor leading the group. There will also be nurses and other staff members there to help the individuals stay safe during the class.
• Games – Playing games is good for the mind, and there are so many group games seniors can play. Bingo is a common one, but they may also be able to play board games, card games, and puzzles.
• Crafts – Making things is a great way for seniors to keep their hands moving and working. Some assisted living centers offer daily or weekly craft classes for this purpose and to help the seniors spend time socializing with others.

As you look at various assisted living facilities, you may notice a huge difference with the activities offered at each. Make sure you thoroughly tour the entire facility to see where these activities will take place and always ask a lot of questions as you do this.

Assisted living is a great stepping stone for an aging senior that cannot live alone any longer, but that is not quite ready to live in a nursing home. If you are interested in finding a good place for your loved one, make some appointments and begin searching for the best one you can find. Click here for more info.