Are you or a loved one needing a little extra help with your daily activities? One of the best options for daily care is a senior living community. When searching for a senior living community, touring several of them is crucial to choosing the one that is right for you. Before touring different communities, it’s important to do some groundwork first.
Assess Your Senior Living Needs and Wants
Most people who move to a senior living community do so because they want to remain as active and socially connected as possible, even as age-related challenges and health issues make some day-to-day tasks difficult.
Before diving into the various senior living options available, take stock of your specific needs and wants. These can include needs like help with bathing, dressing and grooming, medication reminders and management, and specialized dementia care, and wants like a well-stocked library, a full schedule of activities, transportation to shopping, errands, and appointments, and ample outdoor spaces.
If you don’t assess your needs and wants first, you’ll have a hard time knowing where to focus your search. After all, there are lots of different types of senior living arrangements out there – independent living, assisted living, and memory care – each designed to serve seniors with different needs. Here’s a look at each type.
Download our Family Decision Toolkit!
Types of Senior Living Communities
Independent Living
If you don’t need day-to-day support but enjoy taking part in community activities, then an independent living community might be a good fit for you. You’ll typically live in an apartment or townhouse with access to housekeeping, maintenance, social activities, and transportation services, allowing you to maintain your independence while enjoying a supportive environment. Community staff are close at hand in the event of an emergency.
Assisted Living
If you need an extra level of support, then an assisted living community may be a good choice. You’ll have your own private apartment and the freedom to come and go as you choose. No need to worry about grocery shopping or cooking your own meals, simply show up in the dining room at mealtime. Staff members will even take care of your housekeeping and laundry.
Not only that, they can also keep track of your medications and bring them to you whenever you need to take them. And if you want a little help with your morning or evening routine – dressing, showering, and the like – they can help you with that as well.
Memory Care
If you’re the loved one of a senior living with Alzheimer’s disease or other form of dementia, you may want to consider a move to a memory care community for them. These communities are staffed with trained professionals who offer the residents cognitive stimulation, structured routines, and memory-enhancing activities to support their overall well-being. Safety measures such as secured entrances and exits are in place to prevent wandering.
Variations on Senior Living Care
Sometimes you may encounter a senior living community that doesn’t fit neatly within any of these three categories. For instance, at Levante Living we offer a form of care called independent supportive living. Essentially, it’s independent living with options to add customized à la carte care services.
The difference between assisted living and independent supportive living is that assisted living often comes bundled as a complete price – you often cannot pick and choose the services you need. Levante Living recognizes that everyone is unique and should not have to pay for services they don’t need. (Currently, the only Levante residence that actually offers true assisted care is Charlotte Villa.)
See For Yourself
The best way to truly understand what senior living communities have to offer is to visit one. Contact one of our communities near you. We’d be happy to show you. Download our Family Decision Toolkit for tips on making the best senior living decision.
