The family learned a few months ago that Dad would need assistance in his daily life. His slowly deteriorating health was making it difficult for him to take care of himself. They decided to move him to an assisted living facility for now and later as he became worse into a long term care facility. Before taking Dad to the first facility they contacted, they did some research first. One of the areas they found lacking in some units was the facility maintenance program.

Budgets have become tight due to many causes. Many of these facilities have to find areas to cut back. Daily support such as dietary needs are prioritized needs while the facility maintenance of the building does without the needed updates.

Assisted living facilities are treated more like home maintenance than institutional maintenance. The difference from a normal home maintenance is the amount and type of residents. Incontinence and wheelchairs or walkers often cause destruction in the rooms. Regular maintenance is needed to keep walls, carpets and baseboards clean or repaired for the safety and sanitation of the patients.

The HVAC, sprinkler and fire systems are complicated and must comply with local regulations. These regulations call for regular inspections of the systems. Without routine preventative facility maintenance in the budget, these homes can be closed if the systems are not kept up to code.

Regular routine maintenance needs to be done to keep the facility safe. It is recommended to change filters in heating and cooling systems, keep the coils clean and checking sprinkler systems routinely. Keeping the current system well maintained lengthens the life expectancy of the unit.

Maintenance workers should be qualified in what they do. They will be interacting with the residents so they should be good at making the residents feel safe and satisfied with the work. They are often called upon to assist in the changes in a room.

The family found an assisted living facility that met their needs. The home had a reasonable budget set aside for facility maintenance needs. When it came time to move dad into the facility, the maintenance team was called upon to put up shelves and move furniture so Dad could feel at home.

The maintenance team routinely checks the exits for accessibility. The lighting was checked often and new bulbs replaced as needed. The doors had been recently greased and the floors were free of cracks so their dad could easily navigate in his wheelchair.

Their dad enjoyed interacting with the maintenance workers. They often held special activities such as workshops for the men. This allowed them to talk about things they missed in their lives such as working with tools. The family appreciated the extra care and time the team spent with their dad.

The maintenance crew acts as a part of the caregivers. They provide extra eyes and ears because of their continued access to the resident units. They notice when the cupboard doors need repair or painting and see behavior changes in the resident. They can tell when a door is getting uncommonly heavy use, such as when a resident uses the door for support. They are all trained in first aid and CPR.

Assisted living facilities often have higher use than long term care units. Most residents are ambulatory and active. Higher activity levels lead to more intense maintenance programs to keep the building from going downhill quickly.

The family was pleased to find an assisted living home that realized keeping facility maintenance as a priority in their budget was beneficial to the residents.