Are you looking for a retirement home for your parents and grandparents? There are a few crucial factors to consider before deciding on a particular residence for them.

You should note that there is no emphasizing the importance of choosing a suitable retirement community for your older loved ones. So, it is best to make this decision meticulously.

When your folks join the right retirement living community, they can enjoy happy and fulfilling lives in retirement, and you can rest assured that they are well taken care of.

Seasons Retirement communities are located in safe locations across Canada. Residents are provided quality care and attention before, during, and after their move to Canada. They have compiled this article to explain how to choose a retirement community.

Factors to consider when choosing a retirement residence

1.   Climate

Make sure to check the weather conditions of the area where the retirement home is located before having your parents take up residence there. Generally, older adults prefer to live in moderate, non-extreme climates.

If possible, take a vacation beforehand with your parents or grandparents to the community’s location. This is to experience the weather conditions for yourself to help make an informed decision in choosing a retirement community in the locality.

Several cities in Ontario are ranked among the places with the mildest winters in Canada, making them ideal locations for older persons to retire.

2.   Level of care required

Depending on the age and the state of their health, older persons require various levels of support. Typically, retirement homes offer these care options to their residents:

a.    Independent living

This option is for older persons who require minimal assistance from staff and can carry out their daily activities without help.

b.    Independent supportive living

This category is for older adults who do not necessarily require support with their day-to-day chores but would appreciate some assistance with selected aspects of their living, such as laundry and housekeeping.

c.    Assisted living

This is for residents who require constant care and attention from staff, including medical support. If your older loved ones use wheelchairs or have special medical conditions, you should go for this option when choosing a retirement community. You can search online for an aged care facility near me if you are in need of looking for a suitable place for retirement for your parents or grandparents.

d.    Memory care

This program is for older persons with cognitive impairments like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Residents are given round-the-clock care and attention by staff with assistance to their daily personal chores such as bathing and dressing up.

Evaluate your parents’ physical fitness level and choose a retirement community that offers the type of care they require.

3.   Building accessibility

If you are confused as to how to choose a senior living community for your loved ones, visit the shortlisted retirement residences beforehand.

Be sure to consider how accessible the buildings will be to your folks at each location. Are enough wheelchair ramps provided? Are the doorways widened? How wide are the walkways? These are some questions to find answers to.

If the residential building features several storeys, try to check the efficiency of their elevator systems.

4.   Safety and security

This is one of the most important factors to consider. Make sure to carry out a physical survey of the safety equipment and features in a retirement community before trusting them with your loved ones.

There are many safety devices available today to help protect older adults. They include medical alert systems (MAS) which can detect falls, wearable heart monitors and smoke detecting devices. Does the retirement home provide any of these?

Apart from this equipment, are well-positioned security cameras installed in the building? Are the walkways and living areas sufficiently lightened? Are safety or emergency exits provided?

Furthermore, choose a city with low crime rates. Seasons Retirement has several retirement communities in some of the safest places in Canada.

5.   Community policies

Every community has its own rules and regulations, and retirement living communities are not exempted. It is advisable to find out the community policies beforehand to know if they align with your loved ones’ preferences.

For instance, if your parents are pet lovers, ask if the community allows pets on their premises.

Furthermore, you can ask if residents are allowed to garden, play music, or have live-in partners.

You should also check how often residents are permitted to entertain guests. Just ask whatever questions you think might be related to the taste and needs of your folks.

6.   Recreation and places of interest

Engaging in recreational activities has countless health benefits for older adults. Recreation boosts their physical well-being and improves their mental health.

Find out what recreational activities are provided by the retirement home for residents. Do these activities fit your parents’ preferences? Check for locations close to your folks’ favourite recreation places, such as soccer stadiums, art galleries, zoos, or museums.

Furthermore, if your older relatives are religious, it is advisable to select a retirement community with a tolerance for religious practices and that is located near their preferred places of worship like churches or mosques,

7.   Medical considerations

If your loved ones have any medical conditions that require regular medical care, checkup or other forms of assistance, pick a retirement residence located close to hospitals that provide the services they need.

This consideration is essential for older persons with relatively rare medical conditions requiring specialists’ assistance.

8.   Reputation

Finally, you should carry out background checks to find out how a retirement home functions from residents and their relatives.

While some retirement living communities are known for their friendly and efficient service delivery, others are infamous for rendering poor services to residents.

Moreover, you can take a trip to the retirement home to note how the staff interacts with residents and the general mood in the place. Do residents appear relaxed and free, or is the atmosphere tense and regimented?

Final Words

Have you been wondering how to choose a retirement home for your parents or grandparents? This article has all the answers you need. The factors mentioned above can help you make a well-informed decision about a retirement home for your folks.

Every older adult has a unique set of needs, tastes, and preferences for retirement living. Hence, caregivers need to consider these when choosing a retirement community for their older loved ones.