When shopping for retirement communities, it’s important to consider your loved one’s lifestyle wants and needs. This means evaluating a community’s amenities, recreation schedule, and staff-to-resident ratio.
Also, review the residency agreements and fees, including base fee versus care charges, refunds, and time frames for rate increases.
Location
When choosing a retirement community, it is crucial to consider its location. Selecting a place nearby your loved ones, family members, and friends is recommended. This will facilitate their visits and allow them to stay engaged in your life.
Also, ensure the retirement community is near reputable medical care providers. Having access to a good primary care physician is crucial for long-term health.
You’ll also want to learn about the community’s transportation services and distance from beauty salons, shopping, restaurants, continuing education opportunities, and entertainment. This information will help you narrow your options and choose the best retirement community for your loved one’s needs. You can also use our free housing and care finder for more guidance on selecting a retirement community. Our advisors will consider your unique needs to curate a list of the best options. Then, you can decide with peace of mind.
Amenities
If you can tour the community before deciding, pay attention to how well-maintained the rooms and common areas are. Observe how residents and employees interact with one another. It would be beneficial if you also enquired about the community’s activities and cultural offerings. It’s crucial to know if the retirement home offers a continuum of care so that residents can go from independent living to assist living or memory care without leaving the community.
Many retirement communities, such as Aviva, offer services to help residents stay active and socialize, such as fitness classes, excursions, game nights, and more. Some even have beauty salons and barbershops on site, making it easy for your loved one to get their hair done or nails cut in the comfort of their new home. You should also ensure the community is wheelchair-accessible and has safety features like widened doors, elevators, and stair lifts. Additionally, consider if the retirement community offers a range of housing alternatives, including cottages and apartments.
Pricing
When choosing a retirement community for yourself or your loved one, reviewing the prices of different options is important. To ensure you have the money to pay for senior living, seeing a financial advisor is essential.
A common type of retirement community is a continuing care retirement community or CCRC. These communities offer various services, including independent living, assisted living, and nursing home care. They allow people to age in place and may even be able to accommodate couples if one partner requires a different level of care.
Watch for indications that the person you care about is prepared to enter a retirement community. As an illustration, your loved one may want assistance if they appear to be losing weight or have been acting forgetful recently. If your loved one starts having more accidents or isn’t recovering from colds and flu as quickly as they used to, this can also be a sign that it’s time for a move.
Staff
The retirement community you choose impacts your finances, quality of life, and health. Because of this, visiting communities in person and interacting with staff members is crucial to understand how things operate.
Pay attention to how hospitable the staff is. Look for a welcoming attitude and inquire about how they handle current residents. Speaking with locals is another great way to learn. Inquire about their quality of life and whether they would suggest the area to friends.
Inquire about any costs and any restrictions or reimbursements that could be given if you depart earlier. Find out which services are covered by the fee and which are not, and how frequently charges are raised (a two to five percent rise is typical). Also, ask about age restrictions. Many retirement communities have specific age requirements, so make sure your loved one fits the criteria. This can help prevent them from becoming isolated if their care needs change.
