The First Quick Rule for Evaluating a Senior Living Community

I worked in senior living for fifteen years and here are 2 quick rules for evaluating a senior living community.

The first rule is to focus on the people, not the building. If you like and trust the management and you see that the residents are happy and the least of the staff (housekeepers, for example) are well taken care of, then you’ll find a warm hearted, honestly managed community.

The Second Quick Rule for Evaluating a Senior Living Community

The second rule is to identify competent, thoughtful owners/managers. To do this, focus on the details of the day to day experience (not just the cleanliness–which may be outsourced). For example, use the restroom and see if they provide one or two ply toilet paper. Ask to view the library and see if the books are high enough off the ground for seniors to see. Look at the dining room and see if the dining room chairs have arms. Look at the staff name tags and see if the font is big enough for seniors to read. These little things separate good management from bad management because they reflect whether the owners/managers are looking through the eyes of the resident at the day to day experience.

I’ll add other posts to this series on evaluating senior living at a future date.

That’s it! Happy hunting.