Preparing For A Senior Living Tour

After a very important discussion—it’s finally time to look for a senior living community for your loved one. Most importantly, you want to make sure all their current and future needs can be met. Plan on including a list of questions pertaining specifically to your loved one’s needs. The person conducting the tour should never rush you and should be able to address all of your concerns. If not, the tour conductor should be willing to get back to you with any unanswered questions. It’s always a good idea to check out more than one community. It will allow you to better evaluate what your loved one needs in a senior living setting.

Any Question Is A Good Question

How are you going to know if one community is a better fit over another if you don’t ask? There are many different facility options available. Take note of what your loved one requires and at what level of help your loved one may need. Get your list of inquiries started with these standard questions during your tour:

• What type of community does this facility offer? Independent living, assisted living, memory care, or a continued care retirement community?

• What kind of experience or training does the staff possess?

• Is there a nurse on staff 24/7?

• Are there staffers on site overnight? If so, how many?

• Is there an age requirement?

• What type of apartments are available for residents?

• What amenities are available for residents?

• Are there transportation options for residents?

• What are the monthly charges? Are there additional charges that can be incurred?

• How often do the monthly charges increase? What’s the average increase in fees?

• What is included in the monthly charges?

• What are your billing and payment guidelines?

• What is the move out criteria?

Observe

It’s important to take in your surroundings. Utilize all your senses when going on the tour:

• Touch: Check the cleanliness of the community. Are any of the surfaces sticky or grimy in the common area?

• Smell: Are there any unpleasant odors that might affect your loved one?

• Sight: Are there any areas that look cluttered? Will the hallways be hard to get around? Do the residents look happy?

• Taste: Plan on having lunch there. Try out the meals to see if it may be something your loved one can enjoy. Are the meals tasty, nutritional and balanced?

• Hearing: Listen to the residents as they engage in activities. Do they sound like they're enjoying themselves?

Have A Chat

The best way to get a feel for the sense of the community would be to talk to someone who is already living there. A simple conversation can be a wealth of information. Ask them what they like best about the facility. Get their take on the amount of activities offered and what they wish was offered. Perhaps, the resident is able to offer tips or insights that you may have overlooked.

Trust Your Instincts

Follow your gut. Instinctively you and your loved one will know which community will feel more like “home.” At Catholic Eldercare, we pride ourselves in offering a caring, community atmosphere for elders of all faiths. We are proud to offer a continuum of care, including the finest nursing homes in Minneapolis, independent living facilities, assisted living, our senior day care programs, memory care, rehabilitation services, and more. Contact us today at (612) 379-1370, to schedule a tour. We look forward to meeting you and answering all your questions.