Visiting a Life Plan Community? Ask About the Basics and Discover What Really Matters!
Most shopping trips are fun, even when they are hectic. You know what you want and what to look for. When the salesperson asks if you need help or have any questions, chances are you do not. But touring a Life Plan Community may be a new kind of shopping experience. Even if it is not your first visit, it can be hard to know what to ask. And it is even more difficult to know if what you learned is the answer you should expect.
There are two sets of questions to consider. Let’s call the first set “The Basics.” The second set of questions are ones that are often answered as you progress through the basics, although sometimes you must ask them directly. Let’s think of this second set of questions as “What Really Matters to You.”
The best place to start? With the basics!
The Basics
These questions cover fundamentals that may be offered at the communities you visit but might be presented in a slightly different way. What you learn by asking about the following topics provides broad information. Ask for information about these standard offerings, amenities and services. You know how to shop for all of this because you know what matters most to you. If you are interested in floor plans, take your time and ask for more information. If dining and menus are important, listen to what they share. Don’t be shy about asking to speak with the chef! If wellness, learning or volunteering matter to you, ask for a deeper dive into these topics.
Here is a list of The Basics for you to collect and discuss:
- Floor plans
- Pricing and contracts
- Utilities
- Rental insurance
- Interior common spaces such as dining venues including a café, casual dining, fine dining and private dining; library; auditorium; art studio; gyms; fitness/wellness class space; game rooms; living rooms; salons; guest suites; woodshop; pools; business/computer center
- Exterior common spaces such as porches and patios; walking paths and picnic areas; dining areas with grilling space; gardens; wellness paths with equipment and direction
- Dining plans, hours of service and approach to dress codes, reservations and seating
- Special diet requirements
- Availability of take-out or delivery dining services
- Housekeeping and maintenance services
- Parking and transportation services
- Security, messages and mail and package deliveries
- Policies for overnight guests in your residence or in guest suites
- Availability of other levels of care, including home care in your independent residence, should you need it
- Hurricane preparation policies
- Pet policy
What Really Matters to You
As you tour and get answers to the basics, you will begin to get a feel for the community. The real question may become the most important. After all the basics and the bells and whistles make sense, this is the question to ask yourself:
“If I choose to live here, will I be able to live every day to the fullest?”
This question helps you shift your focus from the important but basic and transactional details to how the community makes you feel. It may be the case that the places you visit share many or most of the same features. Some communities may be remarkably similar. But how each community you visit makes you feel is often the key to knowing you are in the right place.
To answer that, here are a few last questions. Always look for signs that the community is interested in what is best for you. This will increase confidence that you have covered the basics and will help you understand more clearly how you feel about one community compared to the others.
For confidence and clarity, ask the following:
- How financially stable is the community?
- Ask to see the community’s most recently audited financial statements. It may help to meet with the chief financial officer. You plan to be there well into the future! They understand that and know your questions are reasonable and smart.
- What are the residents like?
- Your new neighbors are the people that live there now and will move in over the years. What are they typically like? What are their interests? Ask to meet a few residents and talk with them directly about their life in the community.
- What happens if my health changes?
- Ask what policies and processes are in place to provide you with support and care if you need more than you need today. How is that decided? What say do you have about any changes or moves? How does it all work?
The above questions may seem basic, but the answers will provide real clarity regarding key elements important to your decision.
These are all normal questions and conversations that every community addresses daily. As they answer your questions, you get the information you need, but you will also learn a lot about how they communicate. If the way they address all your questions is well done, you may be ready to say, “I could be happy here! I could look forward to each day and live it to the fullest!”
Let’s get together and answer all your questions. Call us today!
