How to select right retirement community
The decision to move into a retirement community is not something that can be made in one day. The most successful decisions are made from a position of strength. Strength comes from being knowledgeable about what is available to you and educating yourself about all of your choices. This puts you in a position to take the time to research and compare all of the retirement communities available to you so you can make the best decision for your future. The first step in deciding whether a retirement community is right for you is to look at your current living situation, lifestyle and your present needs. More importantly, you will need to consider any future changes in your lifestyle and health care that you want to address before they are an immediate need. Planning for a successful retirement can be confusing, but there are steps you can take to help you and your family understand the myriad of choices so you can make the best decisions. The number of retirement living choices for older adults in America continues to grow. Retirement communities are no longer just “nursing homes” or “old age homes.” They encompass a wide range of living arrangements, from “Active Adult” communities with homes or condos around recreational activities such as golf courses and club houses; “Independent Living/Senior apartment Communities” for individuals who desire a maintenance-free, social environment that may or may not offer a level of supportive services; “Continuing Care Retirement Communities” offering comprehensive independent living housing choices as well as an on-site range of health care services from assisted living to nursing care; “Assisted living” community for people who cannot safely live independently and who need help with personal care and daily tasks but do not need skilled nursing care; and “Nursing and Rehabilitation” facilities for people who need 24-hour nursing care and supervision or other specialized care under the direction of a physician on a regular basis. Once you have considered all of your current and future needs and have determined the right kind of community for you, you need to start planning. Location will be important. Do you want to stay in the area you currently live, or do you want to move to be near family or other attractions? Talking with your family members about their future plans can be extremely important in your planning, especially if you are considering relocating to be near them. You need to know if your family members plan to stay where they are, or do their work or other obligations, or retirement plans of their own, mean a move of their own in the future. There are often many retirement communities in the same geographical area to choose from. Which community you select is a very personal choice. Request an information packet from every community that meets your criteria. Read it carefully. Plan to visit each one. Dine in the community, talk with staff, meet the residents, ask to read the resident handbook, assess the management’s philosophy, experience and financial standing, evaluate the quality of the program, the services and amenities and ask to have a copy of the resident contract. The resident contract is the only document that states what a community is legally bound to provide residents. You should also consider your financial options. Fees coincide with the services and amenities offered at each community. Make sure you are comfortable with the financial options a community offers. This could include anything from a simple rental fee to a traditional life care contract option. Most entrance fee communities also offer entrance fee refund choices ranging from no refund to a 50 percent refund to a 100 percent option. Make sure you are aware of what services are included in monthly fees. Look for hidden charges. Talk with your financial planner or any person that you trust to help you make the right financial decision. When to move is also important. Being proactive about choosing to move into a retirement community, before a decision has to be made for you, is a way of expanding your options and assuring you maintain control over the type of community you live in. Most communities have minimum health standards in order to move-in to their independent living or residential programs so you need to plan to move before a condition develops that would require the services of an assisted living or nursing community. While many people still consider retirement communities to be “old folks homes,” planning ahead and being proactive about your current and future living environments can keep you in control, relieve the burden and stress of making difficult decisions in a moment of crisis, relieve children from the responsibility of making decisions for you and allows you to get on with your life knowing your retirement-related decisions have already been made. There are many state and national organizations that can help you in your search for the right retirement community. In Oklahoma, you can contact OKAHSA, Oklahoma Association of Homes and Services for the Aging at (405) 640.8040. Nationally, you can contact the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) at 2519 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20008, www.AAHSA.org. You also can contact your local Chamber of Commerce or area Agency on Aging or Ombudsman program for information about specific communities in your area. Important notes • Take time to research and study all the retirement communities available to you.• Consider all your financial options.
• Check out entrance fees and watch out for hidden charges.
• When to move is an important decision.
• If you need help, many state and national organizations can help in your search for the right retirement community.
