Is it about Real Estate or the Lifestyle? by Jane Meyers-Bowen
In today’s senior world, there are so many options that just weren’t available 30 years ago. The list used to only consist of two options: move in with your kids or go to a nursing home. Today, the list has grown to include: Senior apartments, retirement communities, assisted living communities, and adult family homes. The high level of difference between all of these new players depends on the services that are included, or not provided. The granular difference comes down to the culture of each one. Most seniors and their families really don’t know much about senior living and care. It is not until they are faced with a change of physical or mental condition themselves, or their family member, that they begin the research process. It’s a whole new world of language, laws, finances, and players. Unfortunately, many face this world in the midst of a crisis, which usually isn’t the best time to learn new things. When under the gun to make decisions, the pressure can feel overwhelming. A rushed decision is never a good decision. Today, seniors are living much longer. A Retirement or Assisted Living community’s focus is on wellness and independence. This is leading seniors to live healthier lives, which in turn is improving their quality of life. Living well is accomplished with quality food, exercise, and stimulation both mentally and socially. Today, less than 5% of seniors actually end up living in a nursing home! John W. Rowe and Robert L. Kahn, authors of “Successful Aging:” MacArthur Foundation Study, reported this. Many myths about seniors have been dispelled today. For example, most seniors fear that if they move into a retirement community they will lose their independence or their health will go downhill. Most of our residents report the reverse. Seniors are able to come and go as they please, they can pretty much eat when they want, go to bed and get up as they want, have visitors whenever they want, and even have their pet. Recently, a senior gentleman was strongly encouraged by his wife to come and visit the community. She was ready to “retire” from cooking, cleaning, and yard work. After the tour, he found himself enlightened about today’s retirement community, not being a nursing home. With a twinkle in his eye and reassured that his independence would remain intact, he said, “But will you make me sing?” I answered back, “We don’t make people sing, but in your case we will!” Every community has its own culture: some formal, others friendly, ones that feel like an exclusive club, some more like a neighborhood, and others feel more like a family. No matter the culture though, we all value our privacy but still want to feel like we belong. Many times the size of the community affects the culture. If it is too large of a place for example, 250 residents, people do not always get to know each other by name. My 26
mother-in-law lived five years in a large community, and when she passed away many knew her by her face but never knew her name. The catch however, is that a community has to be large enough to have a robust activity program. When people go shopping for a retirement community it is easy to choose a community based on the physical space, and interior design. It is always a great draw for a prospective resident to walk into a beautifully designed, clean, and well kept up residence. However, we have also found that most people don’t want to be confined to this beautiful, enclosed box. They want their outdoor space to lend itself beyond just landscaping, and provide opportunities to interact with the gardens or green space. Most people come to Garden Court from their homes, and are still independent with their personal care. They want to be proud of their home and still entertain. Yet, I remind them that they are planning for the next chapter of their lives. So it is important to look deeper into the future, to ensure that safety and care quality is as much a priority as having a beautiful space. A good time to tour is during a mealtime; is there a buzz – talking and laughing in the dining room? Do residents approach you and welcome you, or just stare at you? Also, look to see if residents congregate in common areas when it’s not mealtime, or are they empty? How does the staff respond to the residents? Does the staff know the residents by name? How does the staff respond to each other? Check out how many activities happen (vs. are just on the schedule) per day? Do people participate? Are there opportunities for resident input, or resident volunteering? Brand new communities often don’t have many activities. Mature activity programs are designed, and tested with resident feedback. Also, it is important to check out if the activities scheduled serve a broad range of residents. Are there men only events? Are there exercise programs, as well as a series of lectures of interest to seniors? Are there arts and crafts, and woodworking? Are there discussion groups? Are there programs that take you out on excursions, as well as ones for those that are more comfortable staying in the community? At the end of the day, the real estate part of the equation should not be the basis for making a final decision. One has to be comfortable with all aspects and every detail of their potential new residence. So, that they may ensure their sense of well-being and happiness.
For more information please contact Jane Meyers-Bowen at 425-438-9080 or visit www.gardendourtretirement.com
senior guidebook – bridging generations