There are so many wonderful benefits that come with moving into an assisted living facility. What are you most looking forward to—the sense of community, the activities and events, not having to cook or clean, all of the above? Luckily for you, assisted living facilities these days offer a variety of retirement community services. They include everything from basic daily assistance and tasty food to fitness centers, themed parties, and even computer chat rooms! So before you settle on a particular facility, be sure that they offer the services that are most important to you. Scroll down to explore the possibilities.
Retirement Community Services
DAILY LIVING SERVICES
Most assisted living facilities will offer basic daily services like assistance with dressing and bathing, prepared meals, laundry, and housekeeping. Look for facilities that offer transportation to medical appointments, restaurant-style dining, and on-site salon services as well. Even if you don’t need all of these services right now (like bathing/dressing assistance), you never know what the future might hold.
HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES
One of the best things about living in a retirement community should be your sense of security. Your chosen facility should emphasize health and medical services like 24-hour emergency call response, medication assistance/administration, and perhaps even an on-site nurse. The facility should also include some space for exercise, whether that’s a walking path, a park, or a fitness center.
FUN SERVICES
Bathing, laundry, and housework are basic necessities, but don’t forget to have a little fun! Your assisted living facility should engage the community in activities and events. They should offer games (cards, chess, mahjong, dominos, bingo), healthy activities (exercise classes, gardening, bocce ball), and clubs or group activities (book club, sewing club, writing workshop, crafts) as well as exciting events (trivia night, plays and musicals, holiday parties, etc). You’ll have a lot of free time on your hands in retirement, so take advantage of it by making new friends and having some well-deserved fun.
BONUS SERVICES
Some services aren’t exactly necessary, but they sure don’t hurt! If these bonus services are important to you, seek out a facility that offers them. Or, ask your preferred facilities if they would consider adding them in the future. Bonus services include computer chat rooms, on-site church services, and a bus available for group outings.
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Before you settle on an assisted living facility, take a tour so that you can see the services in action! Check out the restaurant-style dining and taste the food. Explore the fitness center and speak with the on-site nurse. Quiz the staff on their medical emergency procedures. Whatever it takes to make sure that you’ll feel comfortable in your new home!
Good luck!
If you’re looking for a senior living facility in the Midwest, be sure to check out Hearthside Senior Living Place. Our eight senior living facilities are located in Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Our services include home-cooked meals served restaurant-style, scheduled housekeeping, individual valet laundry, medication assistance, and 24-hour emergency call response (see the full list here). If you would like to take a tour of one of our facilities, please click here.