When touring senior living communities with your loved ones, it’s easy to concentrate on stats and facts, what’s on paper and how it may impact your family’s bottom line. For families with loved ones living in senior communities–and for management of such communities–the best way to get a glimpse of life as a resident is to simply try viewing community life from their perspective. Better understanding may lead to better service from management and, in turn, more content residents. A few topics to consider from a resident’s point of view:

1. Medical and Private Caregiver Access – With age comes the reality that residents have probably been seeing the same clinicians and caregivers for years, maybe even decades. Though a move into a senior living community will certainly bring change to routine lifestyles, not every element of a senior’s lifestyle has to change. In fact, many may yearn for consistency in certain areas–particularly when it comes to their medical providers. Does your community accommodate that need for consistency when it comes to medical providers and caregivers? If not, what measures is your community taking to ensure smooth transitions from provider to provider?
2. Safety and Security – A no-brainer for families and friends of seniors, safety and security measures can certainly be a hassle to residents if not efficient and consistent. Consider the features in place to insure safety and security for your residents: How do private caregivers sign in? What measures are taken to validate credentials of vendors? Do friends and family members have to repeatedly prove their relationship to residents? If your community has Accushield, a simple, digital sign-in kiosk, families and management can breathe easy. The data-driven system confirms proper credentials and background checks and supplies verified identification badges to private caregivers upon arrival. Most importantly, the system offers consistency, allowing residents to relax in the comfort of their community home.
3. Resident Interaction and Socialization – Yes, there are myriad reasons elderly men and women have come to live in a senior community. But regardless of health issues, loss of a spouse, distance from caregiving family, etc., residents all share a common characteristic: age, a commonality that lends itself well to forming friendships and close bonds. As a family member, do you see how your loved one might fit in and find comrades they’d enjoy? As a member of management, are you noticing environments and activities that seem to draw residents together more closely than others?
4. Meals and Dining Experience – It’s been said that the heart of the home is the kitchen, and for senior living residents, the heart of the home often comes from the community kitchen. So take stock in the dining experience of residents. Are meals tasty, as well as heart-healthy and nutritious? Is the dining room homey and communal, encouraging socialization? Does the kitchen staff take requests or ask for resident feedback? If the food and dining experience isn’t one the management or family members are willing to enjoy, it won’t cut it for residents.
5. Cleanliness/Environment – Finally, ask yourself this: would I feel comfortable and tidy living in this community? Beyond the importance of sanitation in a community environment with a constant exchange of people in and out, a clean community will give residents pride in their home. It may make them excited to show it off, host friends or invite family over for dinner. The truth of the matter is, a senior living community should feel like home to residents, so it’s important to treat it as such.