Questions to Help You Compare Senior Living Communities

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When it comes to healthy aging, quite honestly, there’s a lot to do. You’re supposed to make sure to keep your body active and your brain engaged all while maintaining your social connections as well. Sure, the benefits to your overall well-being are worth the effort, but retirement is supposed to be a time with less responsibility on your plate, right? Well, it turns out that in senior living you can have your cake and eat it too, so to speak. Here’s how programs like our Vivid Life make keeping active, engaged, and connected easy and fun! 

Benefits of Healthy Aging 

Good things happen when you focus on healthy aging. In addition to feeling better overall, which in and of itself is a win, other benefits of keeping active, engaged, and connected include:  

  • Improved ability to do everyday things ​ 
  • Reduced impact of illness and chronic disease​ 
  • Enhanced mobility, flexibility, and balance
  • Improved sleep
  • Increased energy level
  • Reduced feelings of depression and stress
  • Increased feelings of happiness and self-confidence
  • Reduced risk of cognitive decline 
  • Increased mental adaptability and cognitive reserve 
  • Improved memory recall and problem-solving skills 
  • Improved concentration and attention to detail  

How Senior Living Can Help 

At home, particularly when living alone, it can be hard to stay as active, engaged, and connected as you’d like. From lack of opportunity to lack of motivation to lack of transportation to mobility challenges, and more, it’s tough, we get it! That’s why we created the Vivid Life program in our senior living communities. It’s composed of three parts: Vibrant Body, Vibrant Brain, and Vibrant Connections. Here’s what each entails:  

Vibrant Body We offer amenities such as a state-of-the-art fitness center, a pool, walking trails, gardening opportunities, and even a dog park to help you stay active. A sample of activities includes:  

  • Walking club – Daily walks at different outdoor locations using pedometers to measure steps. 
  • Yoga – At least once per week for gentle yoga, and once per week for mindful breathing. 
  • Fitness classes – At least two times per week using a variety of hand weights, resistance bands, and circuit-type exercises. 
  • Tai Chi – At least once per week with a live instructor. 
  • Non-traditional exercise – Dancing, gardening, etc. at least two times per week. 
  • Physical games and sports – Golf, putting, bowling, croquet, bocce, and ping pong available daily with organized events one to two times per week. 

Vibrant Brain We offer monthly calendars filled with classes, events, creative arts, and enrichment opportunities to help keep you engaged. A sample of activities includes: 

  • Visiting lecture series – Twice per month with topics such as cultural, historical, local interest, career-oriented, etc. 
  • Creative art series – At least one per week with a theme that runs 3-6 weeks, such as poetry writing, storytelling, painting, digital photography, etc. 
  • Learning series – At least three times per month with an emphasis on learning something new such as foreign language, sign language, technology, hobbies, etc. 
  • Games – At least one time per week and may include poker, bridge, Scrabble, etc. 
  • Mindfulness – A meditation class once per week and gratitude discussion group twice monthly. 
  • Church service – At least once a week through visits by local churches. 
  • Stress reduction – At least once per month class that offers deep breathing exercises, nature walks, music appreciation, spa-type treatments, etc. 

 Vibrant Connections We offer resident-led clubs, social events, outings and volunteer opportunities for any interest to help you stay connected. A sample of activities includes: 

  • Outings – At least twice per month and may include going to concerts, art shows, museum visits, theatre productions, etc. 
  • Intergenerational programming – At least once per month and focuses on building relationships between young adults/children and residents. 
  • New resident welcome party – At least once per month to formally introduce all new residents, and includes ice breakers, social games, etc. to encourage connection. 
  • Philanthropic program – At least once per month provide residents the opportunity to give back to the community, such as volunteering for a local food bank or pet shelter. 
  • Resident-led clubs – May include game clubs, professional clubs, common interests, etc. that meet at least monthly.  

What’s more, it’s all right outside your door (or transportation is provided offsite) and all in a supportive environment with home maintenance, housekeeping, and restaurant-style dining freeing your time to make it even easier to stay active, engaged, and connected. 

Learn more about Vitality Living’s Vivid Life programs. Or find a Vitality Living community near you today to schedule a tour. 

blog-family-decision-guide

 

It can be hard for many families to know where to start when considering options for senior living communities, even when it is absolutely necessary to do so. And while we want to keep delaying the inevitable, it’s best to get a head start and start asking different communities as soon as possible to find whichever is most suitable for our loved one. Here are some questions to ask to better help you compare senior living communities:  

Choosing the right senior living community

 

“What kind of events and activities do you offer?”

Make sure that the community you’re looking into has plenty of activities to keep your loved one healthy and entertained. It’s not enough to have a lot of activities available though; the community needs to have things that your loved one personally enjoys doing. Remember, comfort, luxury, and excellent care will become unsatisfying if it’s also accompanied by loneliness and boredom.

“What services are included in my monthly fee?” 

It’s best to ask about the services and costs that are covered in your monthly fee. While cable, Internet, and utilities may be included in your monthly fee, you need to ask if there are any additional services that you may need to pay for. And while some communities have comprehensive bundles for amenities and services, others work at a per-service rate. So don’t assume that all communities work in the same way if you don’t want to be surprised with additional costs.

“Do you offer transportation or other alternatives?”

Even if your loved one is independent and still able to drive, it’s best to ask about the transportation services that the community offers. There are communities that provide van services for trips to the bank, doctor, grocery store, and other places. You can also ask about other options, such as coordination services or transportation vouchers.

“What is your emergency hospital?”

Communities in larger cities may have a specific emergency hospital. Others may have several area hospitals with emergency rooms. It’s important to know where an ambulance will automatically take your loved one in case of emergency, as well as whether their preferred doctor and/or insurance carrier has access there. 

“Do you provide health services on-site?”

Another important question to ask is if their community has any clinicians that visit on a regular basis or have an office in the senior living community. Many places provide ophthalmologists, doctors, dentists, and podiatrists that visit the community on a regular basis. If there are no doctors available, it’s important to ensure that transportation is always available to take your loved ones to their practitioners for access to quality health care.

“What kind of experience and training does the staff have?”

Every member of their staff needs to have basic training in caring for seniors. Training is highly important, especially because a senior’s care needs can be very specific. Make sure that the staff specializes in your loved one’s conditions, such as diabetes, respiratory conditions, cognitive impairment, depression, and other mental-health-related issues. It’s also helpful to ask about the staff-to-patient ratio so you can rest easy knowing that there is always someone to take care of your senior family members.

Finding the perfect senior living community for your loved one isn’t going to happen overnight. However, when you compare your senior living options, you can increase your chances of finding something that’s just right by asking the right questions. Get started with the best choice today and head over to our website at Vitality Senior Living. And be sure to download the informative Vitality Living guide Choosing The Right Senior Living Community.

 

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