If you’re considering moving yourself or a loved one into an assisted living community, you most likely have a lot of questions, starting with “How do I know if a community is the right fit?”
Whether or not a community will work for you or not may depend on several factors, a lot of them deeply personal, but there are several common things you can look for that will tell you if an assisted living community is going to be able to provide you with what you need, what you want, and overall quality of life. The best way to see for yourself if a community is going to meet your needs is to take a tour of the property.
Before You Tour an Assisted Living Community
When you’re planning on touring an assisted living community, it helps to think about what you’re looking for ahead of time, so that when the time comes, you’ll know exactly what questions you need answered.
Before you begin your tour, ask yourself:
- Do you want to live in an urban or more rural area?
- Is it important to you to have luxurious surroundings, or will clean, pleasant, and comfortable work for you?
- Do you want a lot of outdoor space for walking and activities like gardening?
- Do you need your own yard – or would you be just as happy in an apartment?
- How involved do you want to be with your neighbors, and the overall town and local community, and does this assisted living community allow you to do that?
- Do you want to be able to make changes (like painting walls) to your home?
- Do you have a pet and is it important to you that you bring them with you?
- Do you have a spouse or someone else who will be living with you?
- Do you want housekeeping services? How often would you want housekeeping?
- What types of food do you enjoy eating? Do you plan on cooking for yourself, or would you prefer to have your meals prepared for you?
Knowing your preferences ahead of time will help you to know what questions to ask on the tour. It may be especially helpful to write these answers down and even bring the notes with you on your tour.
During Your Tour at a Senior Living Community
Now that you know what you’re looking for, you’re ready for your tour. When you’re touring the property, there are some things you can ask about or look for that will give you an idea of whether or not the community will meet your needs:
Your Personal Space
What are the living quarters like? And is it a situation that you’d be happy with? Try to see an actual apartment, if possible.
- Would you have your own apartment, or do residents have rooms? Are the rooms private or semi-private?
- Do you like the décor/layout?
- Can you bring your own furniture?
- Can you make changes (like painting walls, etc.) to the space?
- Can you bring pets?
- Do the apartments/rooms seem clean and comfortable?
- Do the apartments/rooms include electricity, water, and phone/internet/cable?
- Do you want a full kitchen? If you like to do a lot of cooking, you might want a bigger kitchen, but if the community offers meals, you might do well with a kitchenette.
Assistance with Daily Living and Medical Assistance
- Does the community offer you the level of assistance with daily living that you need?
- Do they give you the option to increase your level of assistance if necessary?
- Does the community have medical help and assistance available 24/7?
- Is there a medical professional on-duty at all times to ensure the safety of residents?
Amenities
- Do they offer housekeeping services? What does housekeeping include? How often are the services offered?
- Does the community offer maintenance services? At what times is it available? What does it cover?
- What’s the food like? If possible, have a meal in the community. This way, you can find out what type of food is served, the quality, and if it tastes good. Does it seem processed or re-heated, or is it home cooked? Would you enjoy eating this type of food regularly?
The Staff
- What is the staff-to-resident ratio? Does it seem like there are enough team members to support the number of residents?
- Do team members seem happy, or overworked and stressed out?
- Do they seem to enjoy being there?
- How do they interact with each other? Do they seem like they’re working together as a team, and like they like one another?
- How do they interact with the residents? If possible, try to see an interaction between a staff member and resident discreetly, so you can see what really happens in an average interaction.
Community
- Talk to the residents – what do they like about the community? Anything they don’t like? What kind of activities do they do? Is the staff nice? Do they think it’s worth the cost? Do they seem engaged, social, and happy?
- What’s nearby? Are there shops, parks, museums or other things to do close by? Is the community near a grocery store? Is there a hospital and/or a doctor nearby?
- Does the community provide transportation for residents?
- What is the relationship like between the assisted living community and the overall community – do the residents and staff stay involved in the local community? Is that something that’s important to you?
General
- Is the property clean and organized?
- Does the property seem to be in good repair?
- Does it have any safety features (handrails, ramps, etc.) that you would need?
- Does it seem clean and comfortable?
- Does it seem calming and inviting?
What Makes a Community “Home”?
This list of questions isn’t all-inclusive, of course, but we hope that it’s helpful if you’re wanting to tour an assisted living community and haven’t been sure where to start. When you’re ready to make the move into a community, it’s important to remember that just because you’re getting older, it doesn’t mean that you have to stop living your life.
The right community will provide you with everything you need to maintain your physical and mental health, stay social and engaged with others, be entertained, and enjoy your Golden Years. In the right community, you’ll grow, learn, try new things, and indulge in fun and laughter. The most important question to ask yourself when touring an assisted living community is: Is this a place you could call home?
At Eagle Flats Village, we strive to make our community more than just a place to live; we want our residents to feel at home. It’s why we offer chef-inspired meals, plenty of social and recreational opportunities, comfortable and private apartment-style living to support independence, and much more. If you want to know more about Eagle Flats Village and the people who call it home, schedule a tour online or by calling 940-552-8181.
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