There are over 2,000 retirement homes in Canada, so how on earth do you make the right choice for your loved one?
Finding an ideal retirement home that gives your loved one everything they need as they transition into a new part of life requires you to do plenty of due diligence. It starts with a Google search for “retirement home near me”, but that’s just the beginning of your work.
There are a lot of great local retirement options all around, but there are just as many subpar options too. To put your loved one in the best situation, you need to know what you’re looking for. In today’s post, we’ll give you a short guide for finding senior living communities.
When you find a great retirement home, your loved one can enjoy a higher quality of life than they would at home. Keep reading and you’ll find the best retirement homes in your area.
Before you can begin an effective search for a retirement community, you need to figure out what it is your loved one needs. There are numerous types of retirement living, each one geared toward seniors in unique circumstances.
For example, if your loved one is relatively healthy but they don’t want to live at home alone any longer, an independent living community is the best choice. These are retirement homes in the most basic sense: residents enjoy community-style living where there’s little maintenance and an emphasis on socialization.
Seniors who need a bit of help dealing with daily living due to age-related health problems will benefit from assisted living. This involves the same type of living situation as a retirement home, but with staff around to help residents with whatever they need.
When seniors have more intensive needs due to the effects of Alzheimer’s or dementia, memory care is the choice. These communities offer many of the same services as assisted living but employees are highly trained in dealing with dementia symptoms.
Knowing what type of care to seek for your loved one will make deciding on a community easier. It’ll also make your loved one’s stay more comfortable and your money will go further.
It’s important to have a budget in mind when choosing a retirement home for loved ones. The average retirement community costs around $3,000 per month. If you’ve got financial restrictions, these numbers can be extremely daunting.
Finding an affordable retirement home is possible, however. As mentioned above, knowing exactly what your loved one needs is crucial in maximizing your budget. It also helps to look for communities that offer customizable services so you don’t have to pay for things your loved one doesn’t need.
Start with a search prompt for “retirement homes near me.” This will give you all of the top retirement homes in your area. Finding local retirement options is imperative because it ensures your loved one is comfortable in their transition and that loved ones can visit regularly.
With all local options in front of you, it’s easy to separate the best from the rest by looking at reviews. Reviews from loved ones of former residents can indicate a wealth of information about the quality and vibe of a given community.
If there are any major red flags, whether it be staff performance or community amenities, you’ll find out from a review. Use the reviews to choose 3-5 of the best local communities. Schedule tours to view these communities in person and you’ll be able to make your decision.
When touring different communities, there are a few things you’ll need to look out for. Depending on the type of care you’re seeking for your loved one, staff qualifications will be the most important factor.
Senior living residents depend heavily on staff to make their lives easier. Your loved one must have attentive, compassionate, and experienced staff around to help them.
Staff qualifications are most important in memory care. Each one of the 700,000-plus seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s has unique symptoms. A memory care worker needs to be versed in how to deal with these symptoms and provide your loved one with the care they need.
The amenities a retirement community has are often the deal maker/breaker in this search. Every senior has particular interests that might guide them toward particular amenities.
If your loved one likes to keep fit, they may want a retirement home with an in-house fitness center and pool. If your loved one enjoys lounging outside in a garden, a community with beautiful outdoor spaces will be preferable.
During a retirement community tour, make sure to find out as much as possible about the amenities. This could be the deciding factor in your search.
The community activity calendar should provide daily events and activities for residents to take part in. The activities themselves should change regularly and include things that emphasize physical, cognitive, and emotional health.
Maintaining the physical health of residents should be a priority for a retirement community. Activities might include yoga, walking/jogging, Tai Chi, and light sports.
Mental and cognitive health can benefit from things like gardening, game nights, puzzles, and live guest performances. The simple act of partaking in activities with fellow residents helps lower feelings of isolation and improve emotional health.
Nutrition is another important part of healthy aging. You need a retirement community that offers high-quality but healthy dining for all residents.
All retirement community rooms should have full kitchens. They should also have an in-house restaurant with a rotating menu of nutritious meals prioritizing the dietary needs of all residents.
These are some of the important things to factor in when researching “retirement home near me”. Your loved one deserves an enjoyable retirement, so leave no stone unturned in your search for a great community.
Retirement Concepts is the top retirement community in British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec. To learn more about our amazing communities, don’t hesitate to contact us today and schedule a tour.