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When we picture retirement communities, the first things to come to mind are the older adults just relaxing and wondering about nursing homes! Well, for those who do not know, retirement communities like senior living are so much more than that.
It is an evolved lifestyle created to make seniors more active and enjoy their retirement to the fullest. Hence, daily, senior living communities keep getting better and better, with even more prospects in the future. So how do we find the best senior living communities for loved ones?
Why do senior living facilities matter?
Senior living communities offer a different form of a lifestyle than what one usually perceives in a nursing home, for example. There are many exciting facts people do not know about senior living other than it is a community for seniors to live as neighbors and engage in a social life that is built around older adults their age.
Say the best senior living communities in northern California will offer different facilities than those in Alabama. This is simply because senior living communities in respective locations understand the demographic and structure of ‘society’ accordingly.
In addition, there are different forms of senior care in these communities. For example, if you are of have an elderly at home, who is suffering from dementia, memory care communities are available. Knowing the types of senior living communities and what they each offer is essential. As these communities can help foster a better retirement for adults over 55.
Carefully plan your finances for senior living
Though senior living is an excellent option for older adults looking to liven up their retirement, one crucial factor can make or break the decision between staying home or staying in senior care. It is your finance!
Before finding the right senior living community, you have to consider your financial situation. For example, if you are looking for the best senior living communities in California, then the cost of senior living will differ from that of the communities in Georgia.
Carefully managing your finance for senior living is the right way to go about it, as there is a matter of asset protection. Many seniors would put up their assets to cover their senior living costs. Furthermore, there is also medical insurance, or Medicare plans to help with financial support, specifically for senior living. If you want to know about the estimated costs of Medicare, read here.
Best ways to find the right senior living community
Let us look at the best ways you can find the perfect senior living community that is just right, for you!
1. Reach out to friends and family
There will always be a senior person in your family or your friend’s family. It can be their father, mother, aunt, or a distant relative even. That is why it is best to reach out to friends and family members for advice and input regarding senior living communities.
They may not have admitted themselves to nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, or assisted living communities, but someone from the such group may have considered it and has researched like you. You will likely come across either a friend, a family member or a colleague who can guide you in the right direction!
2. Research on the internet
Today, we live on the edges of innovation, and digitization of information is at the very forefront of such a movement. There is nothing that cannot be found on the internet. All it takes is the right keywords. And we are not talking about Google search results. Sure, that is one of the wisest options for finding the best senior living communities in the USA, for example. But we are talking about social media platforms.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or even Twitter can be the best places to find such communities! Why? Because they can give you an accurate picture of the community itself. Facebook allows you to search for related or recent posts related to senior living. The community pages are continuously updated and will show up on search results.
What is more intriguing is that you can find genuine reviews of seniors or family members about respective senior living options, which will significantly help your research.
3. Visit senior living communities near you
Want to find something? Then take a walk. After researching on the internet, you are bound to come across listings of senior living communities that are near your vicinity. One of the best things about finding senior living communities by making a physical visit is that you can assess for yourself if it is the right choice for you.
Sure, it could be time-consuming to a certain degree, but at least you can visibly understand and consider factors after a site visit. How this can help is you can check what facilities they are providing and discuss amongst your family if that place is the right senior living community for you!
If you consider this way to be a hassle, then the next step in our list is the perfect option for you!
4. Get in touch with BoomersHub
Today, there are many ways to find the best senior living communities in your area. The best step is to find a reliable senior care referee like BoomersHub for the best community that is fit for you. Say, for example, you want to find a few of the best senior independent living communities in the Phoenix area; contact referral services like us for a free consultation.
Our senior advisory team will help provide the best solution in finding the right senior living community. We consider your budget, your situation, and the types of facilities you could be looking for, and our team will match your criteria to the right senior living community and all you have to do is sit and relax!
Some top areas for senior living
Depending on your budget and willingness to start living senior life in these communities, there are numerous top locations for senior living. For example, if you are living in California and you want to find a senior living in only that location, that is a great option! For instance, Southern California, an excellent place for memory care facilities, is highly preferable among those with cognitive health problems.
Georgia is also considered one of the most affordable states for senior living. Mississippi, Ohio, and Alabama are also great locations for senior living. The monthly cost is relatively low compared to areas like New York and California.
Different kinds of senior living offer various facilities depending on the area and the types of older adults looking to move. Take independent living, for example; the cost and benefits associated with it will differ significantly from a skilled nursing facility.
Final thoughts
Now that you know the steps to take before finding for yourself or your dear elders the best senior living communities in the US, get going! Thousands of senior living communities cater to different groups of people, from luxury senior living to specialized communities for the religious.
We at BoomersHub advise you to contact our senior advisors once you are ready to move. As part of our service, we can help you get into the right senior living community structured according to your requirements.
Get in touch with BoomersHub today and experience the senior living lifestyle!
FAQs
What is the best way to research assisted living options?
Without a doubt, the internet is the best place to find senior or assisted living communities. This is because every senior care facility is listed on the internet. Furthermore, when researching, users can review organization websites, including referral services specifically dedicated to the senior living sector.
What is a senior living and retirement community?
The main difference between senior living and a retirement community is that with the former, the seniors or older adults can generally take care of themselves. But, senior living is created for elderlies who require some assistance or are suffering from illnesses like dementia. For such seniors, memory care is available.
What is the memory care facility provided for seniors?
Memory care is a form of long-term care, that falls under senior living. It helps to provide intensive and specialized care for seniors or adults over 55+, especially those dealing with memory or cognitive problems. Nursing homes also have a memory care neighborhoods section dedicated entirely to dementia patients, as does assist living and continuing care retirement communities (CCRC) facilities.
What should you look for in a senior living community?
The first thing you should look for in a senior living community is the types and range of facilities they provide. Depending on the type and size of the senior living complexes, smaller communities may be limited in particular services like movie screening for seniors. Also, ensure the senior living communities have good caregivers and a wide range of activities for the elderly.
