How to pick a retirement home - Retirement community - Retirement quotes
 

How to pick a retirement home

 

Picking a suitable retirement home is a minefield both practically and emotionally.

A retirement home is not a nursing home and usually when someone is placed in a retirement home they are able to look after themselves with the minimum of supervision.

Retirement homes can take various forms. They can be self contained apartments or living spaces or they can be self contained bedrooms within the one building or buildings with meals and other services being provided by the care staff.
They usually have a main room for the residents to spend their time and meet up with each other. They may also have other facilities with the home such as leisure and recreational facilities i.e. a swimming pool, sports room, games room or TV room.

There may be a large shared garden with outdoor activities for the residents to enjoy.

There may be a waiting list for the retirement home that you wish to stay in. The homes with the more facilities and better accommodation usually have long waiting lists. You may have to have a second or third choice and be prepared to wait!

Here is a tips and best practice guide on picking the right retirement home.

  1. Location. Getting the right location will be vital especially if you have friends and family that you wish to able to keep in contact with.
  2. Design. You need to find how accessible the home is and if is suitable for your requirements. Do the rooms having suitable facilities for you?
  3. Activities/services. What Activities does the home offer? Does it provide a laundry/washing service? Is there a shop nearby?
  4. Finance. What costs are involved with the care home and is it within your budget?
  5. Look for well trained staff.
  6. Chat to the residents and their families to find out their opinions on the home.
  7. When visiting the home try to look at the average age of the house member. Would you fit in with this age group?
  8. Check out the disparancy between the two sexes. Will you feel comfortable in a majority male environment if you are a female and vice versa?