Finding Home: What to Look for in an Assisted Living Community

If your parent or loved one requires the daily support of assisted living, then you understand the complexity of finding the right community for them to call home. Not only do you want their assisted living community to meet their physical and healthcare needs with professionalism, but you also want them to experience the best quality of life possible.

When it comes to choosing a community for your loved one, looking into all aspects of daily life can help you both make a decision. If your loved one feels confident in living a desirable lifestyle, they’re more likely to experience a smoother transition, according to Nancy Clanton, Community Relations Director at the soon-to-open Tuscan Gardens^® of Venetia Bay in Venice, FL. “Even in the best situations,” says Ms. Clanton, “transitioning to an assisted living lifestyle has its emotional difficulties. However, finding the right community can help new residents adjust faster to feel at ease in their new home.”

What to Look For: Components of Life Worth Loving

While searching for an assisted living community, try to imagine how your loved one would want to spend a typical day. Would they wake up in their own private suite, enjoy fresh coffee and receive respectful care from a staff member who feels more like a friend than a caregiver? Would they spend time outside in good weather? Would they be eager to get involved with friends and neighbors to start new hobbies or pursue old ones?

Put most simply, the right assisted living community will allow your loved one to live their best days – physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually. When searching for the place that brings out your loved one’s best, consider the following facets of their new, everyday life:

Care Style

The most important thing to look for in assisted living is a style of care that meets your loved one’s needs and fits their lifestyle. The leading assisted living communities not only focus on the quality of the care they provide, but also how they deliver support and assistance. While the highest quality of care is vital to your loved one’s physical health, receiving respect, comfort, compassion and independence along with support is crucial to their emotional well-being.

When visiting a potential community, ask yourself these questions:

• Is the staff friendly, attentive and engaged in their roles?
• Do they treat the residents with respect, getting to know them as the individuals they are rather than just another resident?
• Is care provided in a way that balances needed support and a level of independence necessary to maintain dignity and self-esteem?

Active Living

Another quality to look for is the opportunity to lead an active, engaging lifestyle. You want your loved one to enjoy doing the things they love and that bring meaning and a sense of purpose to each day. The right assisted living community will have opportunities for socializing, entertainment and life enrichment.

Consider these questions about community life:

• Is there a variety of activities, clubs, events and outings for residents to choose from?
• Will my loved one be free to express his or herself, pursuing friendships, pastimes and favorite activities?
• Are there opportunities to grow?
• Are the residents’ individual preferences and interests taken into account to create personalized programs?

Dining Experience

While some might overlook food as an important consideration when deciding on assisted living, the dining experience will impact your loved one multiple times each day. Look for a community that provides freshly prepared meals with nutritious ingredients that satisfy residents’ health and happiness.

Ask yourself:

• Does the community offer options to appeal to different appetites and preferences?
• Can the dining staff accommodate dietary restrictions or limitations?
• Is the food appealing as well as nutritious?
• Does the atmosphere of the dining areas suit my loved one’s taste? Is it comfortable rather than institutional?

Pleasant Surroundings

It’s also important to consider the physical aspects of a community. Your loved one’s new dwelling place should make them feel comfortable and secure, being well equipped to support their physical needs as well as their aesthetic sensibilities. You want your loved one to be inspired by the place in which they live, ready to take on each day in a beautiful, amenity-rich setting.

When you take a look around a community, ask yourself (and staff, too):

• Are the common areas comfortable, accessible and tasteful?
• Is the space kept clean?
• Do the outside areas and landscaping provide opportunities for outdoor activities?
• Are resident suites private? Do they accommodate my loved one’s style, preferences and needs?

At the end of your search, you’ll want to find a place that makes your loved one feel at home. Together, the quality of care, lifestyle, dining and surroundings combine to create your loved one’s daily experience in an assisted living community.

Creating the Care Your Family Deserves

At Tuscan Gardens^® of Venetia Bay, we know what seniors and their loved ones are looking for in an assisted living community. Our founders went through the same process with their parents, and they were disappointed with their options. In response, they created Tuscan Gardens, a community worthy of their families – and yours.

“Tuscan Gardens^® was designed to give those dearest to us everything they could need or want to live the way they desired,” says Ms. Clanton. “Our culture embraces a love for life, a commitment to high-quality care and support, an appreciation for what makes us happy and, most of all, a vision of giving families exactly what they’re looking for.”