The decision to move to independent living is an excellent choice for many older adults. It’s all about preserving independence while enjoying the advantages of a caring and supportive community. So, what should you look for in a senior living community?
It starts with investing some time in figuring out your own unique needs. Then, it can help to go visit communities in person to see if they’ll meet your needs. Don’t forget to check out their services and amenities—they can play an important role in making a place truly feel like home.
Determine Your Needs
The journey to finding the right senior living community begins with one simple step: determining your specific needs. Every community is different, and when you’re choosing your future home, it’s important that your needs are met.
So sit down with a pen and paper and consider a few things, including:
- What kind of daily assistance do you need?
- Do you have any special dietary needs?
- What type of social activities do you enjoy?
- Do you need to be in a pet-friendly community?
- What kind of home do you want?
- What’s your budget?
Getting a proper understanding of your needs is an important step to having those needs met! And it lets you make an informed decision about your future life.
Pick Your Location
The next step is location. It plays a big role in how your life will be! Do you want to live near family, or set off on a grand adventure to move somewhere new? These are important things to consider.
But don’t forget about some other factors, like:
- The overall environment of the community
- How close you want to be to nearby healthcare facilities
- The weather in the area
If you want to be near the water, that’s something you should keep in mind. It can be hard to go visit the shoreline if you’re a hundred miles from the nearest body of water! So figure out a starting point of what you’d like around you, and then start researching communities that fit those requirements.
Check Them Out In-Person
There’s a piece of great news: senior living communities almost always allow potential residents to book a tour to visit the area for themselves. This isn’t something you should skip! It lets you see what your life is going to be like if you move to this community.
Pay attention to how the staff and residents interact. Is there a strong, caring bond between residents and the team working in the community? How clean is the area? Does the physical layout make sense, or is it confusing?
These are all questions to ask. Don’t forget to pay attention to:
- The staff-to-resident ratio
- Whether or not there’s on-site medical care
- How the residents interact with each other
- The safety measures in the community
- The size and layout of the homes
Take a look at the fee structure as well. You don’t want to be blindsided by unexpected fees in the future, so this can help you plan out the financial side of things. And ask if you can see what the sign-up contract looks like—there might be something in there that can help you make a decision, or it might be helpful to have a trusted second set of eyes look it over.
Then, once your tour is complete, you’ll have a better understanding of what life will be like if you choose that community!
Look at the Programs, Services, & Amenities
The available programs, services, and amenities are going to contribute massively to your quality of life. It doesn’t matter if you do this before or after your tour—but don’t forget to check out what your potential communities offer!
Examine what each community offers to see if it’s going to be the right fit. It can help to refer back to your list from earlier about your needs! If you love fitness, make a point to check if the community gives access to exercise programs. If you want access to transportation services, see if that’s something the community can do for you.
Here at The Villages of Farragut, we offer all of our residents access to:
- Fitness services in our Wellness Center
- Religious groups in our on-site chapel
- A hair and nail salon
- A club room (with a billiards table!)
- A dog park
- An outdoor putting green
If this sounds right for you, feel free to book a tour to come visit us!
Schedule a Tour with Us
Finding the right senior living community can take some time, but our team at The Villages of Farragut is here to help you. We’d love to help ease this transition and make things easier, and you’re always welcome to visit us to see for yourself what life will be like in this community. Book a tour with us and come find a place that truly feels like home.
