You probably have a number of prospective residents and their families touring your assisted living or skilled nursing community on a regular basis. Although many will walk through, only some will ultimately choose your community.
If you’re looking to recruit more residents, look at your community with the eyes of an outsider. Sometimes they will see things that deter them that you may not have noticed. Here are the five most important things families will be observing during their visit.
1) General Appearance and Cleanliness
Your landscapers and housekeepers play an important role in that crucial first impression. Grounds that don’t look well kept or dust in the corners of the hallways may be a deal breaker to some families. Be sure your community not only looks clean inside and out, but smells pleasant and has updated, comfortable furnishings.
2) Staff Behavior and Attitudes
Your staff are the people your residents see every day. Families want to know that the people caring for them and interacting with them are kind, professional, and happy with their jobs. Are staff stuck behind a computer entering data, or are they out interacting with residents? Are they looking frazzled and unhappy, or are they smiling and upbeat? Families will notice, for better or worse — and what they see may impact their decision to choose your community in the end.
3) Resident Engagement and Activities
Do you provide your residents with ample opportunities to socialize and have fun? If so, post leisure and social activities in visible locations throughout the community so residents and visitors can easily see the number and types of activities you have available. Not only will this appeal to prospective families, but it may encourage your existing residents to participate in more of your offerings too.
4) State Survey Reports
Families can easily see survey results online, and many of them will be aware of your results before they even walk in the door. If you’ve got positive results to show, be sure to have a friendly staff member discuss the results with visitors or hand them a flier that showcases your strong points in quality.
Even if your last annual survey wasn’t where you wanted it to be, you can show families where you’ve improved. Talk about new procedures you’ve adopted, new staff you’ve hired, or training you’ve implemented. Explain how you’ve improved in specific areas to provide the best possible care to your residents.
QA Reader provides you with risk management experts who help you address events quickly and properly, identify the cause, and follow up with proven ways to avoid incidents in the future. Not only will this help you provide the safest environment possible for staff and residents, but they can serve as talking points for prospective families who inquire about your past incident reports.
5) Incident Prevention
Falls and other incidents in senior living are a top concern for new residents’ families. Be prepared to discuss how resident safety is a priority to you and your staff. Share your fall prevention strategies such as group exercise classes and community modifications that are proven to prevent falls.
But remember, these strategies may also be touted by your competition, which leaves you on the same playing field as other communities. A system such as QA Reader will set you apart from the crowd because it's designed to empower skilled nursing and assisted living communities to predict falls before they happen — giving you an edge over your competitors. If families know you take quality and risk management seriously by using the most advanced tools available, this will leave a lasting impression that could ultimately lead them to choose you.
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