It's helpful to narrow down the options geographically so you can live in a location that suits you. Consider factors such as proximity to family members, friends, health care providers and activities you enjoy. Prioritize these factors to help you map out your search area.
For instance, if you want to live near your grandchildren, you might limit your search to the city where they live or neighborhoods close to their home. For older adults who have chronic conditions and have established relationships with their medical providers, staying close to those medical facilities may be a priority. For others, being active and having plenty to do in the area is important. Seniors have a wide range of activity options in Colorado Springs, ranging from hiking to visiting museums.
Before you settle on an assisted living community, make sure it offers the level of care you need. Assisted living provides around-the-clock assistance with personal needs and medication management. Staff members typically perform regular health assessments to monitor your condition. Specific care services may vary slightly from one assisted living community to the next.
If you don't need the extra support, you might prefer an independent living community. However, if you need more intense medical support, an assisted living community might not be enough for you. Assess your needs realistically and talk with the staff at the communities you're considering to make sure they can offer you the care you need.
Managing your retirement expenses is important when you're on a fixed income. Establish a budget for your monthly assisted living fees to make sure the communities you're considering are affordable. Keep in mind that moving into an assisted living apartment makes budgeting easier because you pay one fee for most of your monthly expenses. You no longer need to worry about home maintenance or unexpected home repair expenses. Utilities are typically included in the monthly fee, as are meals provided by the community. That means your budget for assisted living might be higher than what you currently pay for your mortgage payment or rent.
One of the perks of moving to an assisted living apartment is having access to those on-site amenities. Think about the options you'd like to have where you live. You'll find a wide range of amenities and features at assisted living communities. For instance, at The Gardens at Broadmoor Court, some of the amenities include:
Prioritize the amenities you want to help you choose the best option. You may need to balance the amenities with the price to find the community that fits your budget and offers access to the services you want.
One of the best ways to determine if an assisted living community is right for you is to visit it. You can look at pictures online and read about the details, but visiting lets you see it for yourself and get a sense of the overall feeling. This is your chance to find out how clean and well-maintained the community is. You also get to observe the staff members interacting with residents and assess how happy and engaged the residents seem.
In-person visits also let you experience the amenities. Ask if you can eat a meal in the dining room to determine the quality. You might join in one of the scheduled enrichment activities and try out shared spaces, such as libraries or community gardens. Consider if you can envision yourself living there and becoming an active part of the community.
Another benefit of visiting the communities in person is the chance to talk to residents and staff members. Hearing from current residents gives you a better idea of what it's like to live there. You might also meet people you'd become friends with if you choose that community.
Chatting with staff members helps you get an idea of how compassionate they are. You can also learn more about the community from the people who work there every day. Have a list of questions based on what's important to you. Asking those same questions at each community you visit helps you compare the options.
It's also beneficial to look online to see what other people say about the communities you're considering. Look at senior community review sites for ratings and reviews written by residents and family members. This gives you an idea of how people feel in general. It's common to find a few negative reviews on any business, so look at the overall sentiment people have about the community.
