Touring assisted living in Hickory, NC, can be a stressful experience. After all, you’re trying to find the right place for your loved one. But it doesn’t have to be that way! We’ve compiled some tips on things you should avoid when touring a senior-friendly independent living community.
Don’t Bring Too Many People On The Tour
If you’re bringing multiple people on your tour, ask the community if it’s OK to have them all with you. If there are any restrictions on the number of guests allowed at one time, this will be discussed during your initial call or email.
Also, keep in mind that fewer people will make it easier for everyone involved – especially if they’re trying to give you a real sense of how things work in their retirement community. You don’t want too many people clogging up hallways and making noise while residents try to get ready for bed or eat lunch!
Tour During Normal Business Hours
The best time to tour is during normal business hours. If you visit during the week between 9 am and 5 pm, you can see how the facility operates on a normal day with all of its regular activities and programs in action. There should be no surprises like seeing new furniture or decorations that they just installed or learning about an activity that was cancelled due to lack of interest/participation by residents and care team alike.
If you plan to tour on a Saturday or Sunday, then make sure to do so during breakfast (9–10 am) or lunchtime (11:30 am-12:30 pm). That way, your tour will be able to include an opportunity to eat at one of their dining facilities if it wasn’t included as part of your original tour package purchase! Also, don’t forget about holidays; many retirement communities are closed these days because they provide respite care services where family members can stay overnight with their loved ones who may need extra help while living alone at home.
Don’t Schedule Too Many Tours At Once
Don’t schedule more than one tour on the same day. At any given time, your loved one is likely to be experiencing a wide variety of emotions and needs—and they can impact their ability to remember things and their desire to talk about past experiences or plans. Even if they are feeling well enough to visit multiple communities in one day, it could be challenging for them to process what they’ve learned after each visit and still be able to provide quality answers during the next one.
Don’t Take A Tour When You’re In A Rush
It’s important to take your time when touring senior-friendly independent living communities. It can be tempting to rush through the tour if you’re only in town for a short time, but doing so might mean missing some crucial details. If you get too rushed, it’s also possible that staff may get distracted by their schedules and forget to tell you about important things like pricing or availability.
Don’t Forget To Ask Questions During Your Tour
As you’re touring the community, don’t forget to ask questions. You want to make sure that there are policies in place that work for your family and the way you live. Some of these policies may include:
- Community hours
- Meal times and quality of food
- Transportation options
- Noise levels in neighboring rooms/halls/common areas
The tour should also provide an opportunity for you to get a feel for the area surrounding the community. Check out nearby restaurants and grocery stores, as well as parks or other public spaces where residents might go on walks or enjoy time outside. You’ll also want to ask about care team qualifications, especially if you have concerns about caregiving team members’ knowledge base or experience level (if applicable).
Conclusion
As you can see, there are plenty of things to watch out for when touring senior-friendly independent living communities. The most important thing is to do your research and find the best fit for you or a loved one. If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend visiting our resource library for more information about senior care options in your area.
