Ask These Vital Questions for Your Assisted Living Search

Since there are over 30,000 senior living communities across the US, choosing the right one for your parent or grandparent can be challenging.

Not all of these communities were created equal, and choosing assisted living requires you to ask all the right questions about care services. Here, we'll discuss:

• What senior living inquiries to make
• How to start evaluating assisted living options
• Where your loved one will be most comfortable

Read on to learn some questions to ask assisted living communities.

What Does Your Pricing Structure Look Like?

Before you look into assisted living communities, you'll want to figure out a budget for yourself. There's no sense wasting time in assessing communities that are far outside of your price range.

After figuring out how much you have to spend, the first question you ask potential communities is what their price structure looks like.

Inquire about:

• Entry fees
• The cost of monthly rent
• What is included within that base rental cost
• Whether there are additional paid services you should know about
• Any other fees that you'll need to take care of
• How you send payment to the community

Understanding these facts will help you explore the communities that you can afford. You can focus your efforts on finding the best community within your price range so your loved one can move in sooner rather than later.

You also may want to ask assisted living questions about how the community interacts with families. How often will experts contact you? What will you need to do to reach them?

This will help you understand what to expect in terms of communication.

What Type of Care Community Do You Need?

Senior living comes in a variety of forms. Your loved ones' needs will contribute to the type of care community that they should join.

Independent living is a supportive community that lets residents live as autonomously as possible. They'll get access to great resort-like features like professional housekeeping and laundry services. However, they'll still take care of their own daily needs and hygiene while enjoying:

• Resort-style apartments
• Exciting calendar events
• Restaurant-style dining
• Comfortable common areas
• Health and fitness services
• Preventative health screenings
• Concierge services

In assisted living, residents still gain access to these things. They also get:

• Help with care tasks like bathing and using the bathroom
• Help with maintaining hygiene
• Clothes selection and dressing assistance
• Medication management
• Reminders about events

Memory care offers extra help for those with:

• Alzheimer's
• Dementia
• Parkinson's

These communities offer extra support for those who struggle to remember things, including:

• Cognitive-boosting exercises
• Personalized reminders for important events
• Help to remember medications and insulin
• Integrated workshops with a focus on mental wellness

When on your tour, ask experts at The Watermark and Brooklyn Heights which type of care community will work best for your loved one. They'll discuss your specific needs and offer professional guidance. This provides you with the information needed to lead you in the right direction.

How Do You Personalize Care Plans?

Even within a single type of care community, no two residents will have exactly the same needs.

That's why you want to join a community with experts who will create personally tailored care plans for your loved one. They should:

• Sit down with both new residents and their families
• Discuss the new resident's specific struggles
• Try to see the root of their most common challenges
• Come up with ways to help each senior thrive based on their specific needs
• Create a care plan that makes sense
• Ensure that this care plan can change and shift with your loved one's needs
• Keep families in the loop whenever changes are needed

Ask the community you're looking into how they plan to meet your loved one's unique needs. See whether they're willing to personalize their experience to assist them in all possible capacities. This is a critical question that ensures your loved one will get the care they need.

Can I See Your Amenities?

The best Brooklyn senior living communities will have resort-style apartments. They'll come with quality amenities like:

• Comfortable furniture
• Classy kitchenettes
• Ensuite bathrooms
• Climate control
• Accessibility features
• Lots of natural light

Common areas will also be well-appointed and fun to relax in. The Watermark at Brooklyn Heights offers spaces like:

• Movie theaters
• Performing arts centers
• A rooftop terrace garden
• An art and creative studio
• A greenhouse
• Library space
• Lounges
• Game rooms
• Fitness centers

Ask community professionals if you can see these amenities while on your tour. Beyond knowing what questions to ask assisted living, looking at amenities in person will give you and your loved one more insight into what to expect when living in the community.

What Types of Events and Activities Do You Offer?

Seniors are more vulnerable to isolation and loneliness than younger people.

An assisted living community helps to combat these issues because many people live in an integrated space. It's easy to make friends and see them every day.

However, in order to make friends, seniors will need to get out there and meet people. Calendar events and group activities make this possible.

The best communities will offer things like:

• Crafting workshops
• Game nights
• Movie screenings
• Themed dances
• Ice cream socials
• Worship groups
• Exercise classes
• Dance troupes
• Yoga and stretching

In addition to questions about care services, ask about daily activities. You could also ask to see a copy of the community's current activity calendar for a more in-depth understanding of these events!

Beyond the Questions to Ask Assisted Living Communities

Knowing what questions to ask assisted living professionals is just the first step toward evaluating your options. Now that you know some things to ask about before and during your tour, it's time to schedule a visit to look at the community.

The Watermark at Brooklyn Heights is excited to show you our apartments and amenities. We're committed to ensuring you know all about the ins and outs of our community so you can make an informed, confident decision.

We have some of the most beautiful amenities in Brooklyn, New York, so reach out to our team to schedule a tour and see them.