The Eight Best Services to Look For in Assisted Living Communities

For the many seniors today who are looking for a comfortable, inviting and welcoming places to spend their golden years, the right senior community can make all of the difference in the world when it comes to their quality of life. Whether seniors are looking for a retirement community or more of an assisted living development, finding the right place is paramount. With so many different assisted living options out there today, many seniors really want to take their time to visit and choose from a variety of different options. Here are some of the top services to look for in any assisted living community.

Made-to-Order Meals and Restaurants

All assisted living communities have some type of dining plan and some type of dining hall that caters to their residents. For some seniors, eating pre-ordered meals such as this is an easy transition to make, but for others, they may prefer more variety with their diet. Many seniors are drawn to assisted living communities that have their own restaurant on site, or that offer made-to-order meals. This makes it much easier for food-oriented seniors to get the meals and the variety they are looking for and to stay on track with their dietary needs.

Inviting senior communities such as Desert Ridge in Phoenix, Arizona proudly offers both a dining room and their own restaurant so residents can always get the meals they crave.

Pet Friendly

Pet friendly assisted living facilities have become a very popular trend in the senior living community. These assisted living facilities welcome senior residents who already have pets of their own, and animals that want to visit residents from time-to-time. Being able to keep a pet when transitioning to senior living is a great asset for many seniors making the move to a new community.

Transportation Services

Transportation services are some of the most popular and important services that any assisted living community can offer. Having on-site transportation and shuttles is a great way to make sure it is easy for seniors to get out and about whenever they need to. Especially if they are no longer able to drive on their own. These transportation services can be more personalized services designed with running errands in mind, or a community shuttle that takes groups to outings and events.

Laundry and Dry Cleaning Services

For many seniors moving to assisted living, one of the best features includes access to some of the service providers they enjoyed when they lived independently. This is why so many senior assisted living communities are adding laundry and dry cleaning services on-site for their residents. Whether the community sends laundry out, or operates a shop on-site, this is one amenity that can make life much easier for any senior resident.

The Brookdale Champions Assisted Living community in Houston, Texas is just one of the many communities to add this type of service. To add to their dry cleaning services, the company also offers a concierge and housekeeping to ensure their residents never have to look far to enjoy all of the personal services they need.

On-Site Salons and Barber Shops

For many seniors, moving to an assisted living facility and giving up their vehicle at the same time can be difficult. It not only can make seniors feel less independent, but it can make it be very challenging to continue to go to personal appointments on their own. This is why many assisted living facilities have their own salons, beauty parlors and barber shops right on-site for residents who want to make sure that they are caring for themselves and looking their best, but who don't want to deal with the extra effort to coordinate a ride outside of the community.

Specialty Groups and Clubs

Most senior living communities will social activities in the evenings and likely a craft or a movie room. However, for the active and social senior, sometimes they need more than just a handful of activities. This is why many assisted living communities are offering residents with access to specialty groups and clubs based on their interests. These can be spiritual or religious clubs, sports-centered clubs or clubs for individuals that like to play certain games.

For Hickory Park Assisted Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, some of these specialty groups include book clubs, bingo cubs and spiritual and religious activities all meant to keep every resident, no matter what their interest excited and engaged in their new home.

Health and Wellness Programs

Moving to an assisted living community is a great excuse for any senior to start dedicating more time to their overall health and wellness. This is why one of the best, and healthiest, amenities out there today are on-site health and wellness programs. For communities such as the Brookdale Santa Catalina in Tucson, Arizona, this program includes daily exercise classes, health and wellness education programs and on-site yoga, among other opportunities for residents to get up and start getting healthy.

Outdoor Areas

Transitioning to life without a yard can be difficult for many seniors. Most seniors want an outdoor space to enjoy, whether they want to sit and relax with a nice book or just get in touch with nature. Not all assisted living facilities have outdoor spaces for residents, but those that do can provide residents with some much-needed access to the outdoors. For properties such as Portland Oregon's Parkrose Chateau, their outdoor area isn't just green space, but it also includes designated walking paths for seniors who want to get a little extra exercise.

Other great outdoor amenities include park benches, outdoor gardens, space for outdoor activities like croquet, swimming pools and more.

Amenities such as this can make a big difference in any senior's assisted living experience. When finding a new place to call home, it is all about the little things that can bring comfort and joy to any senior as they transition to life in assisted living. Looking for these amenities during the initial stages of the search process can help any older adult narrow down their options and ultimately find the right new community to call home.