If you’ve begun looking into your Independent Living senior living options — or started visiting and comparing Independent Living communities — you’ve probably become familiar with this comparison:
They’re like cruise ships that never leave port.
While you might think that’s hyperbole, there’s actually a great deal of truth to the comparison. Like cruise ships, Independent Living communities have amenities and services very similar to what you might find on a high-quality cruise ship.
Multiple fine dining venues and menu options, a salon and spa, a calendar of entertainment options, fitness centers and swimming pools are all amenities found on both cruise ships and at Independent Living communities. And don’t forget services such as housekeeping and linen service, laundry, concierge, Wi-Fi, cable TV and more.
If you’ve cruised a few times, you may have compared different cruise lines and all the services and amenities you get for your money. Now that you’re considering your senior living options, you should do the same thing when comparing Independent Living communities.
Here are the six best Independent Living services and amenities you should know about, and why you’ll want to choose a community that offers them.
Six best Independent Living services and amenities to look for:
- Multiple on-site dining venues, flexible dining and menu options. That’s a lot to unpack right out of the gate, but think about it: If you live in one community for years, you’ll want variety. Variety is important not just in dining venues, but also in the times you choose to sit down for meals — if you sit down at all! Grab and go may be more your style. Or perhaps gourmet meals prepared by a chef and served in a formal dining room is more to your liking.
- A completely maintenance-free lifestyle. You’re retired. Do you still want to mow, rake, shovel, dig, seed, repair, replace, fix and worry? Look for a senior living community that offers you a maintenance-free lifestyle, inside and outside your residence. You’ll want to make sure the senior living community takes care of all residential maintenance (appliances, ceiling fans, plumbing, windows, HVAC — even lightbulb replacement) as well as exterior maintenance around the community. That should include snow removal, mowing the grounds, upkeep of all buildings, maintaining the pools and putting greens, etc.
- Surroundings and landscaping. The way a senior living community is kept up says a lot about its overall attention to quality and detail. There’s simple grass-mowing, and then there’s landscaping and beautification. Make sure the community cares about the beauty of your surroundings as much as you would. Look for new spring plantings, well-manicured shrubs and hedges, and whether the grass is properly maintained and healthy. Are flowers planted in the spring? Are the patios and gardens cared for? Look at its overall curb appeal; that will tell you much of what you need to know about the community before you even walk in the doors.
- Wellness opportunities. An important component of living healthier and happier as we age is staying physically active. You want to choose a community that prioritizes health and wellness, with amenities like a wellness gym, classrooms, fitness center, heated swimming pool and spa. Also ask what dedicated staff the community has to help you improve your health. Is there a wellness coordinator, for example? What about an activities director who plans events , classes and outings to keep you engaged?
- Purposeful opportunities. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with bingo, but maybe you want outlets that feel more purpose-driven to you. So as you consider the lifestyle you want in retirement, think about the hobbies, interests and passions that you want to pursue. If it’s art, ask the community if there’s an arts and crafts studio. If it’s woodworking, volunteering, reading, gardening, quilting, line dancing or anything else, ask if there’s a common space or resident group for that.
- Reputation. You wouldn’t choose a cruise line that’s run aground a few times. The same holds true for retirement communities. You want to know the remarkable lifestyle you want today — and the quality of any care you may need in the future — will be provided by a senior living community you know and trust. So do your homework. Look at their online reviews, ask for resident testimonials, or talk to friends, family or your peer groups for their opinions and advice.
Find all six — and more — at Friendship Village
We don’t compromise when it comes to offering a quality Independent Living experience. And you shouldn’t compromise, either. Both Friendship Village Chesterfield and Friendship Village Sunset Hills offer you an array of services and amenities far beyond these six we’ve listed above. Cruise on in to one of our communities to see for yourself — just contact us to set up your personal tour.