Deciding where to spend the next chapter of your life is a daunting decision. There are so many questions to ask – What is Senior Living? What are my options? What is included? Where do I start? You want to make sure to find the right community to fit your needs.

We want to help. In this article, we’ll explore and answer each of those questions, and we hope our advice helps you on your path to senior living.

What is Senior Living?
The term “Senior Living” encompasses a wide spectrum of possibilities from simple 55-65+ independent living apartments to 24/7 nursing home care. No two people have the same care needs, so senior living is an umbrella term to cover all of them.

In a nutshell, senior living is a community of senior citizens usually living in apartments or facilities which are designed specifically for the elderly and may have medical care staff for residents.

Some commonalities between all senior living communities might be amenities such as hand-railings on the walls, accessible bathrooms, and even activity programs.

What are my options?
Options for senior living almost always fall into one of four categories:

Independent Living – Generally this option does not include care but is more like an apartment community for seniors.
Assisted Living – This option includes care and can range from very few care needs to many care needs depending on the facility. Some have round-the-clock care staff available for unlimited assistance, and some have a certain number of hours of care available.
Memory Care – Usually memory care is very similar to assisted living, however, the staff and apartments are specifically trained and designed for residents with Alzheimer’s or Dementia. Memory Care communities are usually also secured to protect residents from wandering and becoming lost. How do you know when it’s time for Memory Care?
Skilled Nursing Care – Whether long-term or short-term for rehabilitation, skilled nursing facilities specialize in high levels of care and have round-the-clock resident nursing staff.

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What is included?
The cost for senior living communities sometimes comes as a package deal where everything is included (such as care, utilities, meals, etc.) and sometimes the different amenities are separated ala-cart style.

Pay attention to what is and is not included when touring or asking questions about a senior living community. At Oak Park Place, our monthly cost covers care, utilities, meals, activity programs, housekeeping, laundry, and more.

Where do I start?
The best way to start is to contact a senior living community and schedule a tour so you can see the community firsthand. Not only will you start to get a feel for what kind of community is right for you, but you will also get specific and personal answers to your care needs questions. To schedule a tour with Oak Park Place, find your community under “Our Locations” and fill out our contact form.