The Senior Living Search: Key Questions for Making an Informed Choice

Finding the right senior living community for yourself or an older loved one can be confusing and even overwhelming. Although the senior living landscape has improved considerably during the past several decades, making the right choice the first time can be a challenge. But to make it easier to compare apples to apples, asking the right questions can help make the senior living search simpler and more manageable.

5 key questions to ask in your senior living search

#1: What levels of care are available?

Even if you start the senior living search with independent living, it will pay to consider communities with multiple levels of care. For example, at Evolve Senior Living our communities may offer independent living, assisted living, and memory care so our residents can move easily from one level to another as the need arises. Each level of care offers similar benefits like total accessibility, wonderful meals, daily activities, and services that make life carefree and fun. In assisted living and memory care additional services include a customized care plan to provide hands-on assistance with dressing, personal hygiene, medication management, and mobility, and in memory care residents benefit from personalized care that provides structure within a safe and secure environment.

#2 Are health and wellness prioritized?

One of the most important aspects of a senior living search is how different senior living communities approach health and wellness at each level of care. Top senior living communities like Evolve Senior Living go the extra mile to make a healthy lifestyle easy with on-going wellness programs, on-site fitness professionals who help residents create achievable fitness plans, excellent nutrition, and plenty of opportunities to socialize. According to the nic.org article, “Research Shows Senior Living Communities Promote Wellness and Healthy Aging,” such extensive attention to health and wellness pays off for seniors in lowered vulnerability to health problems, better healthcare services, longer lives, and lower rates of inpatient hospital care.

#3 What housing choices are offered?

Every senior living search should include questions about housing choices. In many independent living communities, the housing options may include stand-alone homes, villas, or cottages as well as apartments. In assisted living and memory care apartments are the norm because they enable staff to respond quickly to residents’ needs and make it easier for seniors with mobility problems to safely access community amenities. In general, the senior living search should also include questions about the different floor plans available, whether residents can bring their own furnishings, and whether they can decorate as they prefer.

#4 What services and amenities are included?

For many seniors, the services and amenities are what separate good senior living communities from great ones. As a result, it’s essential to compare services and amenities during the senior living search to ensure the best value overall.  In resort-style communities like Evolve Senior Living, amenities include robust social calendars featuring daily events, engaging activities that pique new interests, and diverse outings to fun local venues. In addition, residents benefit from a wealth of physical, mental, and emotional fitness options and truly exceptional dining that goes beyond nourishment to new levels of culinary excellence, even for those on special diets.

Services are also key to a senior living search and residents of Evolve Senior Living communities can expect the best in housekeeping, laundry and linen services, repair and maintenance, personal concierge services, local transportation, and more.

In addition, residents of assisted living and memory care have the added benefit of coordination with outside healthcare providers and emergency call systems to help keep them safe and healthy. Check out our Lifestyle Options page for more information.

#5: What are the community’s core values?

No senior living search is complete without a look at the company behind the name. Whether a community is family-run or a corporate enterprise, core values speak volumes about what to expect. At Evolve Senior Living, our Core Values include:

• The highest standards of integrity guided by fairness, sincerity, and respect.
• Accountability through communication and clearly defined goals.
• Innovation exemplified by exceeding expectations through continuous learning and problem solving.
• Enjoyment of every day for our residents and our staff.

We believe that age has nothing to do with achieving a fulfilling life and we always strive to make that as easy as possible for our residents. By focusing on wellness and happiness we offer a senior living option that is second to none!

Contact us today to complete your senior living search and find out more about our beautiful new Evolve Senior Living Communities!