While traveling to see family and friends over the Thanksgiving Holiday, we stopped to look at a few senior living communities we might consider. Now that my husband and I are in our 70s, we are considering our next steps and advanced care planning.

There are many choices; finding the location and type of Senior Living Community you want to live in and can afford is a job. Timing is also a consideration as many have waiting lists ranging from 2 to 5 years; some are longer, so pre-planning is essential.

We found very nice communities, but each had its pros and cons. Here are some things that I am looking at as we start our journey. If you have any tips, please share them in the comment section.

• Ease of the transition: My goal is to find a community where we feel comfortable and close(er) to family and friends. I want to move in while still independent to take advantage of all the amenities these communities offer and know that my long-term care needs can be met.
• Downsizing: Transitioning to a senior care facility can pose the perfect opportunity to downsize your home and choose which household items you want to keep, what you want to pass down to future generations, or get rid of. The space in a senior living community is limited, so you want to downsize before you move. This includes clothes, furniture, and other items you store in your home.
• Needing help with instrumental activities of daily Living: Aside from basic activities of daily Living, you may need assistance with advanced self-care tasks, called instrumental activities of daily Living. These include things like:
  • Driving: Going into a community while you are active and with all of your abilities allows you to do most, if not all, of what you can do today. But if you are having vision issues or not quite sure of yourself behind the wheel, you have to consider what these facilities offer regarding transportation. Do they have a car service to take you to doctor’s visits, food shopping, or out to lunch or other activities you might want to do with friends or family? Do they offer trips to visit sites in the area or trips you can take to see different areas that might be on your bucket list?
  • Preparing meals and cleaning up after meals: If you don’t want to cook, the communities offer various meal plans where you can go to multiple restaurants they offer.  Most plans offer two or three meals a day. Most apartments will have a full kitchen, so you can have meals in your apartment or go to the various dining rooms. These vary in choice and cost, so it is essential to consider them when researching properties.
  • Financial management of assets and expenses: Moving into a Senior Living Community makes you look at your finances seriously. What is your income besides social security? What are your savings and your expenses?  What are the costs of buying into a senior living community? You might think you are prepared until you look at where you are and what you want to live. Looking at what your expenses are currently and what your costs will be in a senior living community needs to be compared. The buy-in will vary according to the size of your unit and the long-term care provided. Also, we found that the costs today will not be the cost as we approach the new year. So, as they say, timing is everything. Can you afford Senior Living? This is important to discover as you do your research. Taking to your financial planner or accountant is essential to see where you are and how best to spend your savings.
  • Housekeeping: Most places offer housekeeping services every two weeks for light cleaning, keeping up with laundry, and changing bed lines. Maintenance and repairs of major appliances, plumbing, air conditioning, and heating are generally included in the monthly costs. As part of your research, find out what other services they offer or what you might be responsible for.
  • How will you get help if something happens in your apartment? Face it: as we age, we are more prone to falls and other accidents that can occur in our homes or outside. Most senior living communities have systems in your apartment that you can use to call for help if needed. Most have motion detectors, so if there is no movement in your apartment for some time, someone will check in on you. This gives you and your family members peace of mind. It is good to have your alert system if you fall outside. We should do this now!
  • Consider other options: As you research, you may find that staying in your home is best for you, while others may find different options that are right for them. Do you have family who will care for you if you need help due to an illness/injury? Do you have money for a long-term care policy that can be activated to get home care or in-patient care if needed?  Do you want to sell your home and do the extensive travel you have dreamed about? Now might be the time to do that!  We all need to plan for these things so that when the time comes, our wishes are known. Don’t feel pressured to make decisions till you are ready. As they say, it will be if it is meant to be.

Starting this journey is a little scary, but it is an important exercise we all need to consider before a disaster occurs and we are forced to make critical decisions that might not be what we want. It is important to look at all of your options. Communicating with your family about your goals and wishes is also important so that everyone is on the same page about your goals.

If you have not done so, appoint someone you trust to be your healthcare surrogate and financial surrogate and complete your Advanced Directives. If you have your Will and Advanced Directives in place, congratulations as you are ahead of most people. Take time to review them annually and make changes as they occur.

My last advice is to start early and be honest about what is important to you. Also, be realistic about what you can afford and live with.