Atria Westchase is one of the larger assisted living facilities in Houston Texas. Because Atria is so large they offer economies of scale that allow for your loved one to receive more amenities than a smaller facility.
There are benefits to going with a smaller elder care facility and it is important to not get to sold on the facility and amenities offered before considering the most important priorities when it comes to choosing a Houston elder care community.
The number one priority should be care worker to resident ratio. Atria Westchase has the licensed capacity to house 110 residents and 21 of these residents can be Alzheimer’s and dementia residents. When you go through the walk through of the elder care community in Houston Texas you will see a posting on the wall showing how many care workers to residents should be in the facility. The ratio should be manageable so that care workers can check on and provide care for every resident in teh facility without leading to neglect.
If there are not enough care workers at a large facility like this the care workers can become over worked and frustrated. If their are 3 care workers for 110 residents that is a 36/1 resident to care worker ratio. In this situation care workers have been known to resent their jobs, the management and the people they care for. Too many outbursts by a resident can tip a care worker over the edge as they attempt to check on 36 residents on the hour every hour.
These care workers must change soiled clothing, bedsheets, bring people to the bathroom, help them in and out of bed, and in and out of wheelchairs. A care worker must also bring everyone at certain intervals throughout the day to a medicine desk to receive their daily dosage of meds. A licensed nurse should be on staff to dispense the medication.
Large Houston assisted living facilities often pay out bonuses to upper management for keeping the quarterly budget below a certain amount. The easiest way to keep the budget under is to work the facility under staffed and this generally means not hiring enough care workers.
Be sure to meet all care workers at the Atria Westchase assisted living facility when going through the walk through and make sure their care worker to resident ratio is accurate with Texas state requirements.
Another main priority when considering an elder care facility in Houston Texas is in regards to how close the facility is to those who will be most likely to visit the resident. The main quality of life factor for the elderly in an assisted living facility is getting regular visitors. Without visitors the stay at the assisted living facility will be a lonely and depressing one. The elderly tend to hold up in their rooms in a chair or bed and are constantly confused because of memory diseases. Having someone they care about come by and talk with them on a regular basis gives them a highlight in their week and something to live for.
We are not saying that Atria Westchase is not meeting Texas state requirements at this time we are just asking you to make sure they are meeting the required guidelines. In such a large facility that houses so many residents it would be easy to let the facility go under staffed.
If you would like to take a walk through of this Atria in Houston Texas you will find their phone number and address information below. You may also compare Atria Westchase with competing assisted living facilities in Houston by using our search tool on this site. You may also call us at the number listed above.
Facility Information:
Atria Westchase
11424 Richmond Ave.
Houston TX, 77082
Phone: 281-759-7900
Licensed capacity: 110
Alzheimer’s licensed capacity: 21
Private Beds: 110
This is a Type B elder care facility which means that round the clock care should be given. In a Texas type B facility assistance is given for daily activity as well as in and out of bed, restroom, wheelchairs, and with medication administration.
