Try: What the care recipient needs from independent living depends on his own unique situation where would they be most comfortable here are a few things to keep in mind it’s all about the people no matter what type of independent living you consider you want to make sure the care recipient connects with peers and feels comfortable in the community when you visit the area talk with some of the residents are they people the care recipient would like to know better are some of the care recipient’s favorite hobbies or activities available are support services timely is the staff friendly and accessible size and location of community there is no set size for an independent living community so it’s really the care recipient’s preference do they prefer a smaller size community or a busier place with more people and opportunities for socialization is the care recipient comfortable with more compact apartment style living or is having a detached home with easy access the ultimate goal be sure to visit several communities to get a sense of what is comfortable to the care recipient location of facility some popular retirement independent living areas are in warmer states such as arizona california and florida however consider carefully if the care recipient would need to move a considerable distance it does mean developing a new support network if the care recipient doesn’t have family and friends close by as well as finding new medical care accessibility take a look at how accessible the community is both inside and outside does the care recipient feel safe coming and going at different hours of the day is the outside of the community walkable or would the care recipient need transportation like a car or cart to get around how easy is it to get to services such as a common dining hall or recreation center carefully look over the inside of the housing unit to get a feel for future adaptability are there any stairs inside the unit or outside can ramps be added if necessary check to see if adaptive devices like grab bars can be easily installed in bathrooms community resources and support with so much variation in services think about which are most important to the care recipient in independent living also consider services that they may find useful in the future for example if the care recipient likes to exercise consider a community with an exercise area pool or fitness classes the care recipient may like cooking their meals now but want the option of having meals in a shared dining area in the future prioritizing the services the care recipient wants also helps them budget correctly since the more services a community offers the higher the cost may be care pathways has a checklist you can use internet resources seniorsforliving com a place for mom retirenetcare com information references independent living for seniors understanding your choices in retirement communities and homes by joanna saisan and doug russell 2010 available at
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Categories: Sage, Topic, Maintenance, Medical Physical
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Keywords: Independent living living options housing alternative care options
*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed