The Christmas wrapping has been recycled, perhaps the tree is still up, but the family has gone home—sometimes all the way across the country. And unfortunately, the icicles and windshield frost grew back overnight. If this scene sounds familiar, you are far from alone. That is why the post-holiday season is one of the most popular times of the year to explore assisted living communities. With the holidays behind them, many adult children and their parents embark on a journey, leveraging the new year as an opportunity for a fresh start towards a better future.
Exploring assisted living communities is a proactive step toward ensuring social connection, manageable home maintenance (or no home maintenance), reliable health services and overall quality of life in the coming year.
So, what’s next? We’ve put together a list of steps to take at the beginning of your journey. Take what you want and leave the rest. And of course, we are happy to consult with you one on one; feel free to get in touch.
Step 1: Set your intentions and goals.
Before beginning the search, sit down with yourself or loved ones and have an honest conversation about what you are looking to get out of assisted living. Is it assistance with daily tasks? Maintenance-free living? Social connection? Writing this down can help with your initial search, as knowing your lifestyle goals will provide you with filters to use in your search. Create a list of must-have features, such as care levels, amenities or specific location preferences. If you’re not 100% sure what you need or what kind of services are available, feel free to reach out to one of the Lutheran Life Communities Sales experts in your community and discuss your options. We’re happy to help.
Step 2: Begin the search.
It may feel overwhelming at first to see the results that pop up under “Assisted Living Near Me.” Here are a few points to keep in mind:
- For-profit versus non-profit: We recommend you to search for non-profits, who direct funds back into their communities—especially those that align with your personal values and passions. Lutheran Life Communities is a locally owned and operated non-profit with a strong faith background, which speaks to many of our residents. One of the most important missions of our non-profit status is our benevolent care program, which financially supports residents who run out of funds through no fault of their own. Grace-filled, person-centered approaches to operations like these are almost always exclusive to non-profit communities, and we are honored to offer benevolent care as part of our organization’s DNA.
- Outdoor living: Communities that feature well-cared-for, beautiful exterior areas understand the necessity of outdoor experiences. Look for things like outdoor dining, walking paths or even places to simply sit in the sun. Especially with the chilly winter months we get in Illinois and Indiana, it’s important to maximize time in the great outdoors in the warmer times of the year. Assisted living communities that understand this are essential to keep at the top of your list.
- Access to a continuum of care: This is another important factor. Even those who are perfectly healthy today may one day need surgery and follow-up rehabilitation, memory support or skilled nursing care. It’s much better to choose a community with stellar additional care and services today than having to move communities in the future. Tour the rehabilitation, skilled nursing and memory support neighborhood within the community and decide if it is somewhere you would feel at home. If they don’t offer these services on campus, ask if they are connected to a trusted partner or sister community nearby.
- Wellness: Does the community place emphasis on mental, physical and spiritual health? It is integral that wellness is seen as a multidimensional goal, with care and consideration directed to each of these aspects of life. Having a full-time chaplain on campus at each of the four Lutheran Life Communities is central to our commitment to spiritual health.
- Quality of care: Pay attention to the quality of care and take note of communities that have positive reviews from residents. Are the team members valued and tenured? A team that is well cared for will care well for residents.
When you have a better understanding of the communities available to you, make a short list to investigate further.
Step 3: Schedule in-person tours.
Congratulations! You’ve made a short list of communities and have decided you are ready to tour. Here are some questions to keep in your back pocket as you see each community in person.
- What levels of care do you offer on campus? Do they offer skilled nursing? Short-term rehabilitation? Memory support? Knowing that these services are of quality and available on the same campus can provide peace of mind and save you a move in the future.
- What do residents love most about the community? This will provide you with a better understanding of the most beloved aspects of the community. Conversely, if your tour guide cannot answer this question, it could suggest the team is disconnected from the residents.
- What’s for dinner at the community tonight? If dinner sounds delicious, that is a green flag. If not, ask about recent meals and see if other selections sound more appetizing. Ask if you can join them for lunch or dinner so you can try it for yourself.
- What is on the activity schedule this week? Ask for an event calendar and scan for activities that speak to you. If nothing strikes your fancy, ask if resident suggestions are taken into consideration in the life enrichment planning.
Step 4: Rest and reflect.
It’s important to acknowledge that searching for a community can be a large undertaking, and rest is important to make an informed decision. Put your feet up for a day or two and reflect upon the communities you toured. Perhaps there is a clear frontrunner, or a tie between two. Discuss pros and cons with loved ones and consider which community aligns best with your values, priorities and needs. Also, add weight of importance to your wish list. What is negotiable? And what is a must have?
Most importantly, do not feel rushed—choose the community that feels most like home. As for the “not feeling rushed” part of your decision, we recommend looking into assisted living well before it becomes a necessity. As the saying goes, good decisions are seldom made in a crisis. It’s better to be prepared and move on your own terms than waiting for circumstances to choose for you.
We hope these steps and considerations have given you a good starting point for your assisted living journey. Congratulations on beginning the next phase of your wellness and independence! Please remember that the Lutheran Life Communities team is available for one-on-one consultations to help kickstart your journey and sharpen your goals. Please feel welcome to learn more about each of our communities on our website.