Retirement Community Living – What to Expect and How to Prepare
Besides eliminating the hassle of yard work and home maintenance, retirement communities offer several other benefits. Onsite amenities and conveniences include apartment-style living, beauty salons, restaurant-style dining, and security services.
Know Your Loved One’s Needs
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Knowing your loved one’s needs is critical in selecting a retirement community. They may want to downsize and find a home-like environment, while others may prefer a community with more amenities like cultural and fitness programs.
Residents in a retirement community like The Villas often interact with staff daily. This can include servers during meals, housekeepers, and others.
Some communities also have a medical team onsite to help with medical issues. Other essential features to look for are apartment size and accessibility. Ensure the apartment is large enough for a wheelchair or other mobility device and that ramps can easily be added. Also, check if an emergency call system exists and your loved one can designate an authorized family member to receive information about their medical care.
Schedule a Visit
Retirement community living offers conveniences that help reduce household responsibilities like grocery shopping, cleaning, and lawn care. They can add more free time for social engagements, hobbies, and travel.
If you visit your loved one in a retirement community, respect their privacy and energy levels. Be aware that the transition may cause them anxiety, so it’s essential to take the visit slowly and be sensitive to their mood.
When you tour the community, ask about the availability of transportation. This is often a significant concern for seniors who struggle to navigate public transit and keep up with their doctor’s appointments. A good quality community will provide regular transportation within a set radius and will make arrangements for outside activities on scheduled days.
Schedule an Appointment
After selecting a community, make an appointment to visit for at least a week. This will give your loved one time to get acquainted with their new living space and become comfortable with the people who will help them with daily tasks.
The staff can introduce your loved one to caregivers and others on the leadership team and help them form a care plan. The community will also provide physical and health assessments. These conversations must involve the seniors, their families, and the medical team.
Some retirement communities offer a continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, and nursing home options. This type of facility is often referred to as a continuing-care retirement community. This helps seniors maintain their independence and offers peace of mind in the event they need more care down the line.
Schedule a Tour
While it is essential to research online, nothing compares to visiting a retirement community in person. Schedule a tour with your loved one and make a list of questions to ask. Take a notebook or use your cell phone to take photos to help you remember important details later on.
While on the tour, pay attention to how well-maintained the grounds are and how the team members interact with residents. Ask about activities, and see what life is like at different times of the day – this will give you a feel for how happy your loved one will be living there.
Inquire about whether the community offers levels of care beyond independent retirement community living, such as assisted living and memory care.
Make a Plan
Daily tasks such as raking leaves or cooking are often handled in retirement communities. Residents may also enjoy upscale amenities they might never be able to afford, such as a swimming pool or putting green.
In addition, senior living communities that provide aging-in-place services are sometimes available for low-income seniors through state and federal programs. Likewise, many states offer tax exemptions for retirees that could lower the overall cost of retirement community living.