Finding the right senior living community for yourself or your loved one can seem like a daunting challenge. We’re here to help!
There are many factors to consider when evaluating assisted living and memory care communities, including services and programs, location, reputation, cost, and more. One intangible factor that you don’t want to overlook is how you feel when touring a community. Do you connect with the community’s staff? Are they responsive to the needs of your loved one?
Residents and their loved ones are at the center of everything we do at Spring Arbor Senior Living. So many of our team members feel called to this work because they care deeply about serving and supporting the incredible people who call a Spring Arbor community home.
As Jaylee Baird, Executive Director of Spring Arbor of Wilmington, frequently says, “To me, this work is a ministry, not a job.”
Getting a sense that the community staff offer that level of dedication and care is reassuring for loved ones and is often a good indication that you’ve found a good fit.
How do you know if a senior living community is a good fit and will connect with you and your loved one?
Jaylee contributed a guest column to McKnight’s Senior Living about fostering stronger connections with residents and their loved ones. A leader with significant experience at senior living communities, McKnight’s asked Jaylee to share her insights on this important topic.
She offered three ways to evaluate how engaged and connected a community will be to your needs:
Active Listening and Communication
Building trust, the key component of fruitful relationships, all starts with listening. Pay close attention to how the staff interacts with you during your initial conversations. Are they attentive to your questions? Do they ask follow up questions for clarification? When you tour a community, watch how the staff interacts with current residents.
Loved ones should inquire about care meetings, including when they happen and who is involved. These meetings should happen frequently and include both the resident and loved ones. Also ask about how outcomes are tracked. The best communities and teams will diligently track outcomes and those results will be accompanied by a conversation.
Programming
Programming and events are central functions of any senior living community. When considering an assisted living and memory care community, ask about the types of activities and other programs that are offered. Request a copy of the current month’s calendar of events.
Activities are a great way to build connections with residents, so don’t be afraid to ask multiple questions about activities and events. For example, does the community change it up and customize activities based on resident feedback? A sign of a thriving senior living community is when they invite loved ones for special programs so they can be a part of the fun too. Check to see if there are special events for loved ones or if you can join certain programs.
Being Present
It’s easy to forget in the hustle and bustle of the day, but nothing makes up for being present with others. This is especially true for residents in a senior living community. Just being there makes a difference. Each interaction between community staff and a resident is an opportunity to build a bond of trust and care.
When you tour a community, pay careful attention to the interactions you see among staff and current residents. Do staff members stop and talk to residents or just walk by? Are there lots of smiles and friendly greetings?
Loved ones also can seek feedback from current residents and their loved ones about the community and staff.
Additional Resources
You can read Jaylee’s complete column on McKnight’s Senior Living’s website: https://www.mcknightsseniorliving.com/home/columns/guest-columns/3-strategies-to-deepen-engagement-with-residents-and-their-loved-ones/.
As you consider senior living options, visit Spring Arbor’s website to learn more about our services and search for communities: https://www.springarborliving.com.
Check out our FAQs for answers to the most common questions: https://www.springarborliving.com/faq.