Choosing a Retirement Home
Finding your ideal residence
Choosing the best retirement community for yourself or for a loved one is a big decision and it is important to get it right. Asking questions is crucial – and a sign of a caring family member or friend.
Every residence should expect (and respect) many questions from family members and caregivers. When you take a tour of a retirement community, here are some questions you might ask:
Activities & Healthy Living
Find out what activities are offered and how often. Are their daily activities? Is there a monthly schedule of special activities?
Ask if there is an emphasis on active living, and activities for all levels of mobility.
Ask about preventative care programs.
Ask about visits by adjunct health professionals such as specialty physicians, mental health professionals or social workers.
Find out if the residence offer nutritionally rich meals or specialized menus.
Ask if steps are taken to keep residents' minds healthy, as well as their bodies.
Overall Experience
Ask for the activity schedule and meet the activity staff. Ask residents about their favorite activities and events.
Get copies of any paperwork required for admission along with any helpful documents or pamphlets.
Ask the residents about their experiences living there.
Plan to stay for a meal to see the quality of food and the staff in action at one of the most important times of the day.
Get a copy of the menu – and even take a tour of the kitchen.
Check stairwells and other low-traffic areas to see how well they are maintained.
For a full experience, enquire about a trial visit or an overnight stay.
Safety
Ask what the average time is for an ambulance to reach them.
Find out if the residence has its own hospital transport.
Ask about the building's fire safety systems, sprinklers, fire alarms and escape routes and how the staff is trained to deal with emergency evacuation.
Ask about other onsite security precautions like a front desk monitor, or security cameras.
If the person you are caring for has dementia or otherwise is at risk when being alone, find out what systems are in place to prevent residents from wondering out on their own.
Official Policies
Ask what the residence policies are – especially for visiting hours, pets (or visiting pets), use of technology (computers, cell phones, iPads).
Find out if residents can continue to see their own doctor, and how the nursing staff works with outside medical professionals.
Ask about policies for decorating and whether residents are permitted (or encouraged!) to decorate their own units as they wish.
Choice & Freedom
Living in a senior’s community should free you from burdens, not restrict you from doing what you want. Ask about restrictions on activities, on times for coming and going, or on visitation. Find out if residents can choose when they eat or whether they are free to arrange their rooms the way the like. Policies are important when it comes to safety and security, but like everyone, seniors want to feel they are not being restricted from seeing loved ones or living how they want.
A senior residence or nursing home is more than just a place to live. It should bring a positive change in daily living. In a great many cases, residents find their happiness and their health improved by residence living. (Even sometimes to their own surprise!)
Arrange a visit
Looking for a retirement home community for yourself or someone you care about? We'll be happy to give you a tour!
