What to Look for When Choosing a Senior Apartment

October 16, 2018 / Senior Living Community
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Is an apartment in a senior living community right for you? Looking for a senior apartment doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Often, people worry that moving out of their private homes and into a senior living community will make them dependent and unhappy. Yet over 80% of those who move into senior living facilities find the experience to be positive and would recommend their community to someone.

Choosing where to live and what level of care is needed is usually the hardest – and most important – consideration when making the transition into a senior community.

Learn what to look for when selecting an apartment in a senior community as well as tips on how to determine what type of apartment is the right fit for you.

Types of Senior Apartments

Most senior communities offer different levels of care for their residents, based on individual need. Typically, senior communities offer independent or assisted living options for seniors.

Independent Living

If you are an independent and active senior who is able to safely manage personal care and medication needs, independent living is probably a good fit for you.

So what should you look for when shopping around for an independent living community?

Floor Plans
Look for a senior apartment with different floor plan options. Your housing and space needs could be very different from your neighbor’s needs - so you should have a choice when it comes to your apartment’s size and configuration.

At The Villas at Stanford Ranch, we offer four different independent living floor plans in 1- and 2-bedroom configurations.

Two bedrooms may be perfect for a couple who wants a bit more space, or for a senior who wants to set up a home office space, have extra storage space, or guest room.

On the other hand, for a senior or couple who only needs one bedroom and doesn’t want to pay for unneeded space, a single bedroom configuration could be ideal.

Our independent living apartments have everything you need to remain self-sufficient, such as full-size kitchens, laundry areas, and garages.

Our independent living units are housed within their own building, separate but in close proximity to the main assisted living building. Each apartment is designed with front door and garage access and are available in both ground floor and upstairs units (accessible by either stairs or elevator).

Outside, the front entrance areas include a roomy porch or patio setting – depending on if you choose a ground floor or upstairs unit – from which you can view the swimming pool, spa, and meticulously landscaped grounds.

Amenities
One of the biggest benefits of moving into an apartment in a senior living facility is the on-site amenities.

Are the amenities included in the price of your rent?

Are they the type of amenities that you desire?

What types of amenities would enrich your daily life?

Independent living residents at The Villas at Stanford Ranch have easy access to community activities, amenities, and conveniences at no extra cost.

Our residents enjoy a variety of all-inclusive amenities to promote healthy, happy lives for our residents, including:

• Heated pool/ spa
• In-house chefs and bistro (meals included)
• Free wifi and computer lounge
• Craft room
• Day spa/ salon
• Physical therapy room
• Private theater
• Community gathering areas
• Bocce ball

While you will have full independence to come and go as you please, you won’t have to go far to have all of your social, entertainment, and nutritional needs met with an independent living apartment at The Villas at Stanford Ranch.

Assisted Living

Many seniors are still independent for the most part but find themselves in need of a little extra help in certain areas of their life.

Perhaps bathing and dressing have become more difficult or managing medications confusing and, therefore, dangerous. Difficulty with meal preparation leading to a nutrition deficiency or suffering falls are also concerns for some.

For those who want to continue having the privacy of living in their own apartment but need additional help with self-care and having their nutritional needs met assisted living is often the right fit.

What should you look for in an assisted living senior apartment?

Floor Plans
Just like our independent living apartments, assisted living residents at The Villas at Stanford Ranch have options when it comes to floorplans and sizes. We offer four different assisted living floor plans, in studio, one- and two-bedroom plans.

Amenities
Our assisted living apartments are located within the main building with easy access to all of the community amenities. All of the activities and amenities are a short stroll or elevator ride away. Residents don’t even need to leave the building to enjoy a movie, join in a craft, visit the computer lab, get a massage, pamper themselves at the salon and much more.

Our chef-prepared meals are included for all of our residents and made in-house in our professional kitchen. These delicious, made-from-scratch meals are served in the beautiful and spacious dining hall, where residents enjoy sharing their meal times together.

Personalized Service
Assisted living can mean different things for different people. For some, it’s just a reminder to take some medication and a little help with chores. For others, assisted living means help with self-care and hygiene, housekeeping, doctors’ appointments, and medication assistance.

The best assisted living senior apartments will provide a personalized experience, giving you the right amount of help so you can live your life to the fullest.

Flexibility
The last thing to look for in a senior apartment is arguably the most important. Can you stay there for the long-term?

At The Villas at Stanford Ranch, our residents have the flexibility to move from an independent living apartment into an assisted living apartment while still remaining in the same community.

If one of our residents who was successfully living independently has a life-altering event, they don’t have to leave our community, the staff or amenities they’ve grown accustomed to, or the friendships they’ve made along the way.

This sort of flexibility allows you to choose a senior community and have peace of mind knowing you won’t have to move out of the community as you age or if your health declines.

Why Choose Senior Living?

Often, seniors experience changes in mobility that make independent living difficult. Whether home and yard maintenance has become difficult or more troublesome issues with self-care have surfaced, a senior community can help alleviate the burden of traversing these difficulties alone.

Senior communities offer more than just help with day-to-day needs. They provide a nearby and constant community that many seniors living at home lack.

Lack of socialization can lead to depression and declining health. While this is true for everyone it is especially true for seniors.

Spending time with others regularly boosts both mental and physical health, and improves overall quality of life.

Whether you are ready for a more relaxed lifestyle that doesn’t include worry about meal planning and yard maintenance – but does include plenty of socialization and activities – or you are in need of a little extra help, senior community living could be the solution for you.

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