Questions to Ask When Touring Retirement Communities

Finding the perfect place to enjoy your retirement often begins with referrals from friends and casual searches online. Digging deeper into websites and making phone calls can help you narrow your list, but ultimately, touring a senior living community will give you the best sense of the lifestyle and whether it’s the right fit for your retirement dreams.

 Once you schedule your visit, it’s time to consider what questions to ask before moving into a retirement community. This is your chance to decide what you need to know to feel confident you’ve found the right place to spend your retirement.

Make the most of your tour

A tour gives you an opportunity to experience the community in everyday action. You’ll see the grounds, including details like whether the buildings are in good repair and landscaping is well tended.  You’ll meet staff and possibly even talk with current residents to gauge their satisfaction with the community.

 Maybe most important of all, you’ll get to check your intuition and decide how the community makes you feel. If your impressions are generally favorable and you feel comfortable and safe, it may be the community for you.

Questions to ask before moving into a retirement community

Aside from what you can observe and feel, there are many important pieces of information to gather about a community before you make a final decision. Here are some questions to ask before moving into a retirement community:

 Lifestyle

1.       Can I personalize my home with paint and other design choices?
2.       What services and amenities can I access as a resident?
3.       When can my family and friends visit me?
4.       What are your pet policies?
5.       What’s the best thing about living here?

 Financial Considerations

1.       What is included in the monthly service fees? What is excluded?
2.       Can I choose from a variety of dining plans?
3.       What types of contracts does your community offer?
4.       Do you offer a Lifecare contract?
5.       Is the community operated as a nonprofit or for-profit business?

 Health and Wellness

1.       Which of your living options suits my needs best?
2.       What should I expect if I need different health care in the future?
3.       Does this community offer a continuum of care on site?
4.       How do you support resident wellness?
5.       What kind of fitness facilities and classes are offered to residents?

Quality and Security

1.       How do you define and measure quality care?
2.       Do you have accreditations, testimonials, or surveys that affirm the quality of care you provide?
3.       Is 24-hour emergency assistance available?
4.       What security measures will protect me and my belongings?
5.       How can my loved ones communicate with me and my care team?

On the tour, you may even think of more questions to ask before moving into a retirement community. Remember, there are no bad questions when you’re considering something as important as your future.

Let us be your tour guide

Our person-centered approach at Springpoint starts with prospective resident tours. We know you have plenty of questions to ask before moving into a retirement community, so our Life Plan Communities schedule private tours that ensure you get to see and experience the things that matter most to you. We’ll answer all your questions and more, then we’ll give you even more resources, like our downloadable guides, to help ensure you have all the information you need to make a choice that leaves you feeling excited about what’s ahead.