The Ultimate Checklist for Choosing Your Senior Living Community

When retirement dates grow closer, there are many key decisions to make, from meeting with a financial planner to choosing the type of lifestyle you want to live to choosing the perfect senior living community for your golden years. It can be an overwhelming but exciting time, an opportunity to make choices for your future as a reward for decades of hard work.

Many retirees make the choice to downsize their homes and move to a senior living community, surrounding themselves with others who have similar interests. Undoubtedly, this will be one of the most significant decisions of your life, so it is vital to make good choices.

How Do You Envision Your Daily Life as a Retiree?

For some retirees, they finally have a chance to skip the alarm clock and live a relaxing lifestyle. Others are excited to get up early and set a fast pace for all the activities they’ve put off for years. Have you longed to spend more time in the mountains or in the Florida sunshine? Where are other family members living? Do you need to be close to specific healthcare options? Do you want to continue having a larger home or are you willing to downsize to free up your budget for more activities? What does your day look like when you think ahead?

Choosing the Right Senior Living Community for Your Needs

Once you’ve made the decision to move to a senior living community, it’s time to choose the one that best meets your needs. A great starting point is to narrow down the communities that can offer options as your needs change. If you start off in a home, are there apartment options for later? Does the community provide assisted living, respite care and long-term care? Will there be a place your family can stay when they want to visit?

Many seniors choose to downsize their homes earlier in life and move to an independent living community. This choice provides social activities and friendships while you still own or rent a private home or apartment. Plus, it allows you to adjust your living arrangements as you get older and start to require more care.

Your Senior Living Community Checklist

Use this checklist to narrow down your list and compare prospective senior living community options, services and amenities against your lists of needs and wants.

Lifestyle: While planning this next stage of life, think about activities you enjoy and want to pursue in retirement, how important social interactions are to you and daily routines and hobbies that you are engaged in. You don’t want any surprises in a new community such as not being able to own a pet or plant a garden. Maybe your goal is to never own another lawn mower, cook another holiday meal or scrub another bathtub. Or maybe you want the space to do all of that and more! Make sure everything you want (or don’t want) for your lifestyle is possible at the community you choose.

Amenities: Every senior living community has its own amenities, and you need to find the one that fits your requirements and budget. Some retirees are happy with a private apartment and community meals. Others need shopping services, pet care and salon services. If faith plays a significant role in your life, what opportunities are there for worship, fellowship and spiritual growth?

Recreation: A good recreation schedule promotes socialization and can give you something to look forward to each day. Do you want a community pool, outside recreational options, classes and activities? You’ll also want to know if transportation is provided offsite and which recreational activities are available to you.

Medical care: Know what kind of medical care is available onsite and what specialists are nearby if you have specific medical needs. Don’t forget to ask about mental health and respite care, too. Will you need to make any adjustments to your insurance plan?

Continuum of care: Look for a community that has a continuum of care, meaning you can start out living independently and gradually receive more care as your needs change.

Maintenance: If you plan to purchase a home in an independent living area, find out how much home maintenance is covered by the community. What will your responsibility be?

Weather: Consider the weather if you are planning to relocate. Do you prefer a warm climate, or will you miss the changing seasons? Are you willing to travel for the recreational activities you enjoy or do they need to be close by?

Budget: Last, but certainly not least, your budget is a significant factor. Sit down with an advisor, be realistic about your finances, and make solid decisions about what you can afford to spend.

Take a Tour of the Senior Living Community

Once you have narrowed your search, be prepared to tour your top options in person. Choosing your future home and lifestyle based on a brochure or website is not ideal. It’s important to get a feel for a senior living community, see what the quality of life is like for its residents and meet the staff.

Life at Advent Christian Village

We invite you to take a tour of Advent Christian Village to discover how we can meet your needs, now and in the future. Visit us in Dowling Park to learn more about our senior housing options, engage with our staff and check out the many amenities our unique community offers to members. Contact us today for more information or to schedule your personal tour.