Why Choose Our Senior Community
Iowa is one of the country's oldest states with nearly 18% of the population over the age of 65.
For that reason, Iowa has hundreds of assisted living communities housing thousands of seniors. When your loved one is ready to move into assisted living, you must find the right community for their needs. Choosing senior housing isn't a decision or transition to take lightly.
There are many ways to assess the quality of a senior living community. In today's post, we'll discuss the importance of senior community lifestyle reviews and other helpful criteria that can help you make this massive decision.
When you find the right community for your loved one, it'll greatly improve their happiness and quality of life. Keep reading and you'll have a senior lifestyle guide to tell you what sets our assisted living community at Addington Place of Carroll apart from the rest.
How Senior Community Lifestyle Reviews Help
When it comes to selecting an assisted living community for your loved one, it's important to find out as much information as possible. There's no better resource for this information than the loved ones of current and former residents of the communities.
Those reviewing senior living communities are never shy about letting others know what their experience has been, good or bad. Good reviews are great for confirming the quality of a top assisted living community. You can learn more about what your loved one can expect and look forward to.
Poor reviews are arguably more valuable than good ones. If you're deciding between a couple of different communities, bad reviews can alert you to red flags that could alter your decision for the better. These are the main benefits of senior reviews.
What to Look For in Senior Living Reviews
So, when looking at these reviews, what exactly should you be looking for?
To make the most of your research, consider what's most important to you and your loved one. Between both of you, it should be easy to come up with a prioritized list of needs.
From there, you can learn from others who are reviewing senior living, looking specifically for mentions of the things that you value. It could be specific amenities - dining options, event calendar, outdoor space - or it could be staff qualifications - memory care training, friendliness, etc.
In sifting through the reviews, you should be able to narrow down your selection of assisted living communities to 3-5 in your area. From there, you can perform independent research and tour the communities with your loved one to find the best option.
Other Factors to Consider When Choosing Assisted Living
When you start getting more serious about particular communities, there are several factors that you should prioritize. Use these things to find a community that your loved one will be happy to live in.
Location
Location matters most for the transition period after your loved one moves into the assisted living community. You want to find an establishment that's within driving distance for yourself and other loved ones.
This ensures that you'll be able to visit your loved one regularly. Even when you find a welcoming community, there's still an adjustment period that your loved one will have to deal with. Having a steady stream of visitors can help ease the transition to make them as happy and comfortable as possible.
Staff Qualifications
You need to make sure the staff is both friendly and qualified to help your loved one with whatever they need. Depending on the type of assisted living your loved one is getting, staff may need extra training and expertise to care for them.
This is most prominent when looking at things like memory care. When your loved one has dementia or Alzheimer's, you need to make sure that the community you choose has experienced staff to help them with their day-to-day needs.
Memory care residents may need constant care in a structured environment to minimize confusion. They should receive specific types of therapy and have access to activities that aid their condition. Assisted living staff must be licensed to perform these kinds of services.
Dining Options
Nutrition is so important in assisted living communities. Your loved one may want to cook in their room one night, but they should have access to restaurant dining at other times. A good community will have an in-house restaurant that provides balanced meals to promote senior health.
Good nutrition can help seniors maintain their energy and stave off a wide variety of illnesses. Poor nutrition is linked to things like heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and a few types of cancer.
Programs and Activities
Another thing to ask about during an assisted living tour is the kinds of activities residents have access to. A good community will provide the means for seniors to get the physical and social activity that they need to age healthily.
Common activities in senior communities include art classes, outings to local events, musical performances, and light aerobics. Not only do these things help to boost senior mental and physical health, but they also help to promote a sense of community among residents.
Rooms and Independence
Community living is hugely beneficial to seniors. At the same time, your loved one must maintain their independence. Finding a community that offers comfortable rooms that your loved one can call home is another essential factor to consider.
For instance, at Addington Place of Carroll, we offer a variety of floor plans depending on the type of care your loved one is receiving. All rooms allow for independent living, but a level of safety that will put your mind at ease.
What Sets Addington Place of Carroll Apart
Now that you know what to look for in senior community lifestyle reviews and communities in general, you can make the best decision for your loved one. The transition to assisted living can be difficult for everyone, but it's much easier when you find a trustworthy community.
For those in Carroll, Addington Place of Carroll is the best option for senior living. We offer the best rooms, dining, events, and activities for seniors that your money can buy. Your loved one will have the time of their life at Addington Place of Carroll, so contact us to book a tour today.