Ensuring Comfort and Care: A Senior Living Guide for Families

Moving to a senior living community is a major change for not only those making the move but also their loved ones. It can affect seniors’ physical, mental, and emotional health as well as their relationships with their friends and relatives. Finding the right community to meet an aging loved one’s needs helps ensure those effects are positive rather than negative. 

With that being the case, it’s important to research your senior loved ones’ options thoroughly. At the same time, be sure to keep their needs and wishes in mind. Those measures will help you find the perfect community for your aging family members. Consider the following points to help you choose a community that will allow your loved ones to make the most of their golden years. 

Look at Different Types of Senior Living Communities

Several types of senior living communities are available with each one catering to different needs. Independent living communities are for healthy, active seniors who need little to no help with everyday activities. Assisted living communities are designed for those who need extra help with the activities of daily living. Memory care communities are for those who are living with dementia. CCRCs, or continuing care retirement communities, tailor their services as residents’ needs change. Some communities, like Belmont Village offer a variety of options in a single location.

Different communities offer different types of housing as well. Conventional homes, townhomes, and apartments are some of the most common choices. Think about your loved ones’ current health, medical requirements, mobility, and lifestyle and how those factors might change in the future. Consider how much space your loved ones may need and the home layout that would best suit them as well. 

Location

Location is also an important factor to think about when choosing a senior living community. Like many families, you may want to keep your aging loved ones as close as possible. Still, the closest senior living communities may not truly meet your loved ones’ needs and expectations. If a community that’s a bit further away than you’d hoped offers a higher level of care and more services and amenities, that may very well be the better option.

Furthermore, look into which sites and attractions may be nearby. Those might include shopping malls, boutiques, restaurants, and museums to name a few. Try to find a community that’s close to attractions that appeal to your loved ones to encourage them to get out and about more often. 

Services and Amenities

Consider the services and amenities different senior living options offer too. Those can vary from one community to another, but some of the most common are housekeeping, landscaping, home maintenance, social events, dining, enrichment programs, religious services, and fitness classes. Many communities have on-site spas, salons, and pools and offer shopping trips and other outings as well. Talk with your loved ones about the amenities and services that are most important to them, and find a community that offers them. 

Finding the Right Community for Your Aging Loved Ones

When choosing a senior living community for loved ones, many people focus on the types of medical care that are available to residents. That’s certainly an important factor, but it’s not the only one to consider. Explore the different types of retirement communities and think about which one might best suit your loved ones’ needs and lifestyle. Consider the location and the services and amenities available in various communities as well. Those are some of the factors that will help you find the perfect community for your aging loved ones.