Blog Layout

Top Five Things To Look For When Choosing An Elder Care Or Assisted Living Facility

June 17, 2022

Top Five Things To Look For When Choosing An Elder Care Or Assisted Living Facility

A group of elderly people are posing for a picture together.

With an ever-growing and diverse range of assisted living communities, determining the right assisted care home for your loved one can be time-consuming. But what should you look for?


In an ideal situation, you should think about things like staff friendliness, services, and the overall environment when making your pick. You need to also be prepared with the cost, care plan, and general questions to ask assisted living tour guides and staff to help facilitate the process.


Fortunately, the process doesn’t have to be intimidating or overwhelming. Here are five things to help you narrow down a suitable elder care or assisted living facility for your loved one.


1. Stability

Nothing is worse in the delivery of high-quality elder care than staff turnover. Staff and residents form a special bond and relationship. That relationship deepens and improves over time, with each getting to know the other better and better. For the caregiver, a thorough knowledge of the resident’s personality and character, health situation, social and personal needs, daily routines, and habits helps them to meet that resident’s needs on a daily basis and will tip them off if something is awry and needs special attention. For the resident, there is great comfort in knowing their caregiver’s personality, abilities, and what they can do to help them in any given situation. Trust form is a powerful antidote to loneliness, isolation, worry, and stress. Health and happiness are formed with stable relationships of trust.


2. Maturity

Experience is the best teacher. As owners and operators of The Retreat at Church Ranch, we have been caring for the elderly in our community for a quarter-century. This time spent has given us all the tools and knowledge we need to deliver high-quality care on a consistent and reliable basis. Ours is a mature model with dedicated and competent staff.


3. Ethics

A well-known definition of ethics is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” We practice this code of conduct at all levels of the organization. It is with this code that our “Circle of Trust and Respect” is formed and strengthened. Management trusts and respects each other, as does the staff. Residents experiencing this conduct join the Circle of Trust and Respect, and their family members do too. When the Circle is complete, the larger community knows it can trust that the delivery of high-quality care is guaranteed.


4. Stewardship

The task of supervising or taking care of something, such as an organization or property, is of paramount importance in our assisted living business. The health of our organization is made of whole cloth, with no frayed edges or areas left unattended. Being good stewards of The Retreat at Church Ranch involves Continuous Improvement in all areas. Nutritious meals, wonderful activities, a clean and well-maintained environment, exterior grounds that are well maintained and enjoyable, and care for each other and ourselves all constitute good stewardship.


5. Partnership

Service, not selfishness, is a key to strong partnerships. No one does all the work, nor is anyone seeking more recognition than the others. The collaborative effort comes from the efforts of each individual partner contributing to the whole. Being in the mind of service in helping others keeps the partnership humble and strong. A partnership cannot be successful when the behavior, manipulation, and poor attitude of one person negatively affect everyone else. We see this as a component of emotional maturity and insist on it for everyone in the organization.


If you are looking for a Westminster Retirement, Assisted Living, and Care Home, reach out to us at The Retreat at Church Ranch. Our staff provides continuous protective oversight, along with medication administration, bathing, personal care, and dressing. We provide delicious meals and assist people with a wide range of services to make their stay the most comfortable and memorable.


We have residents in our elder care home from across Westminster, Arvada, Broomfield, Boulder, Longmont, Erie, Thornton, Denver, Louisville, and the surrounding areas.


To learn more about the services we offer, please click here. To get in touch with us, please click here. 

Read More
March 10, 2025
None of us can skip communication in our daily lives. Whether at work or at home, we talk with others in the hope of getting our needs met and sharing a connection. Some people are natural and open communicators while others need some help along the way. Here are some suggestions to ease the way and help everyone get along a little bit better. Assume Positive Intentions – when talking with family, friends or coworkers, try to avoid becoming immediately defensive. Believe the other party is working to improve the situation and striving for a positive outcome. Although it can be hard, try to be receptive to the idea someone is trying to convey even if they don’t go about it in the best way. Be Clear and Concise – take a moment to prepare your thoughts before speaking or responding. For clarity, limit yourself to dealing with one individual topic at a time. Also, using too many words or fancy language can distract from your intended message and the listener may stop listening. Use Active Listening Skills - which means you listen to understand what is being said and not in order to respond. Paraphrase back to the speaker what you thought they said to make sure you understand before you form your response. Ask open ended questions, not yes or no questions. Watch Nonverbal Communication – these include facial expression, gestures and tone of voice. Be aware of the message you’re sending, such as crossed arms which convey defensiveness or lack of openness. Don’t look at your watch or phone which conveys impatience or the desire to be elsewhere. Use a calm reassuring tone of voice, even when emotions are running high. Email and Texts are Tricky: Use Caution – as these have no tone of voice, they are easier to misconstrue. Whenever possible speak to someone in person or by phone. Written messages are one of the most important times to assume the best intentions of the other party.
February 26, 2025
Getting sick is never fun and when the weather is cold and dreary, getting sick seems to feel even worse. We all know the general rules to follow to stay healthy and stop the spread of illness, but it never hurts to see a few reminders. 1) Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow. Wash your hands regularly using soap and warm water and scrub for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water isn’t available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. 2) Make sure you stay hydrated. Drinking enough water each day boosts your immune system and helps fight viruses. Studies show any hydration is better than none, so if you don’t like water, drink something you do like such as coffee, tea or juice. 3) Up your Vitamin D intake - low levels can make you susceptible to illnesses and negatively affect your mental health. Sunshine is one free source of Vitamin D. You can also find it in butter, milk, cheese, yogurt, egg yolks, some mushrooms, fatty fish and canned tuna. 4) One of your immune system's first lines of defense is your SKIN. Avoid cracked skin to keep germs, bacteria and viruses out by applying cream or lotion. Limit overly hot showers as they dry out skin. Make sure to apply moisturizer afterwards. Also, don’t forget to apply lip balm. 5) Stay up to date on recommended immunizations like flu, COVID-19, RSV and pneumonia. 6) Continue to eat a healthy diet. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Including garlic, ginger, and additional citrus fruits may also boost your immune system. 7) If you get sick - SLEEP. During sleep, important immune processes happen to help your body heal and recover. That’s when proteins that target infection are released and your body has a better fever response.
Two older women are sitting in chairs in a living room talking to each other.
January 23, 2025
Happy New Year – Means Happy New Habits
Share by: