BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS SEP/OCT 2018

Bay of plenty
TAURANGA
MAGAZINE
Rotorua
Hamilton
newsletter
news
Are you ready
for an ageing
New Zealand?
PART 2
BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS September/October 2018 23
Searching for care services and
understanding the available care options
can be a challenge for families. Here are
some key criteria that will help you when
looking at facilities, regardless of the care
level required for your loved one.
When visiting, some
families elect to phone
ahead and book a tour
and time to chat, which has
advantages for the facility.
They can prepare for your
arrival and have information
on hand that will be relevant
for you.
Other families like the
drop-in approach to see how
well the facility manages
unexpected visitors.
Keep your eyes and ears
open. Were you greeted warmly
and made to feel welcome?
Is the reception area warm and
inviting? Were the staff engaging
and helpful?
We all know that first
impressions last. It’s a good
idea to scan the walls and
tables.
Is information presented in
a professional way and is it
relevant to the services they
provide?
What scents are you aware
of and what level of cleanliness
do you see? This can indicate
the overall level of pride.
A facility doesn’t have to
be brand new or opulent to be
welcoming, friendly and give
a sense of pride in the service.
Do the staff who walk by
make eye contact, smile, even
greet you? How are they presented?
Are they well turned
out, with their uniforms clean
and tidy?
Some facilities will offer
just a chat, others suggest a
tour. Always take the tour, as
you will observe many other
factors that may influence your
decision.
How clean and tidy are the
residents that you see? Are
there unpleasant odours? Are
staff interacting with residents
or tucked away in the nurses’
station?
Again, check the information
and displays — are they
current and relevant, reflecting
happy times they enjoy
together?
During the conversation, it
is critical to ask about “extra
costs”, particularly if you
AGEING AND WELLNESS
> BY MELISSA HARRIS
Melissa Harris is the Facility Manager of Radius Althorp in
Tauranga, Radius Residential Care Ltd. Phone (07) 5432912 or
email Melissa.Harris@radiuscare.co.nz
intend on applying for a subsidy.
These are costs not covered
by the subsidy — each facility
has the right to charge for extra
services.
These may include an extralarge
room, a personal en suite
rather than a shared bathroom,
an external door directly to the
courtyard or outdoors, or even
a television.
The extra costs could be
for one or more of these (or
similar), so it is vital to ask
precisely what the additional
room fee covers.
It is also worth remembering
that if your loved one has
specialist medication, it may
not be covered by the subsidy,
so you should expect to pay
for it.
Hopefully you will leave
the facility feeling well
informed and satisfied that
your questions have been well
answered.
In my next column, we
will explore what to expect
on admission, once you have
selected the facility you prefer.
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