How to Find the Right Senior Living Community

About 90% of older Americans say they’d like to age in place and stay in their current home as long as possible, but sometimes health and mobility concerns require a different type of living arrangement. What are the choices when it comes to senior living? How do you know which type is right for you? What should you look for in a senior living community and what should you ask when you visit one?

My Guest

My guest today is Lori LeGrand of Oasis Senior Advisors of Central Florida. Lori offers free personalized assistance to older adults in their families as they explore Senior Living options. Lori has 20 years of experience in the eldercare industry serves her well when it comes to living out Her mission to be a personal resource for families, friends, and anyone involved in a senior’s life. She was a joy to host and boy did she ever deliver on providing LOTS of great information!

Types of Senior Living?

Once the decision to make a change has been made, the next step is to choose which senior living option is right for you or your loved one. Senior living options are many, but the main ones:

The ‘F’ in all of the abbreviations stands for ‘facility,” but most people refer to buildings as ‘communities’ instead). A Continuous Care Retirement Community (CCRC) offers all levels of care on one property and allows residents to move through the continuum of care as needed.

What to Look For

As you start your search, it is important to assess your needs as they are now and ask each provider how they might accommodate any changes over time. It also is important to examine your finances and ask about costs. When touring communities, use all five of your senses to observe the environment. Listen to episode 23 for guidance on this. Use this Questions to Ask Worksheet to compare communities.

Thanks for Listening!

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Liz Craven
Author: Liz Craven

Liz Craven, co-publisher of Sage Aging ElderCare Guide with her husband Wes, combines personal experience and heartfelt dedication in her work. Their journey in eldercare began with a personal story—caring for Wes' grandmother, Mabel, who lived with Alzheimer's. This chapter in their lives not only highlighted the complexities of eldercare but also kindled a deep-seated passion to support others facing similar challenges. Since then, Liz and Wes have navigated caregiving three more times. These experiences have added layers of depth to their insights, allowing them to offer a blend of empathetic understanding and practical advice through the Sage Aging ElderCare Guide. Liz’s commitment to making eldercare more approachable and less daunting shines through in every piece of advice she offers, aiming to ease the caregiving journey for others.