4 Features the Best Assisted Living Apartments Will Have
When it comes time to choose a senior living community, it’s important to find a place that will put you first and make you feel at home. It is, of course, important to look at the quality of the staff and the care you will receive, but it’s also important to pay attention to the assisted living apartments. These apartments are where you will now be spending much of your time; they will be your new home. You want to make sure the assisted living apartments are clean, comfortable, and make you feel at home.
Making the move to assisted living can seem overwhelming, but that’s where we can help. Here are four features to look out for in the best assisted living apartments.
1. Amenities
As the assisted living apartments will be your new home, you want to make sure they have all the amenities you need. You might still be quite independent, but having certain amenities already within your apartments simply makes your life easier. For instance, it’s convenient to have services such as a library, wellness center, hair salon, and movie theatre on-site. Having common areas such as a community dining room, coffee lounge, and outdoor garden courtyard, and scheduled activities will provide you with ample opportunities for socialization and for things that will keep your mind active.
In addition to amenities that will keep you active, there should also be ones that help your day-to-day too, such as housekeeping, transportation, and a business center. Transportation is especially important to look into. You may need to go off-campus for a doctor’s appointment, to meet family or friends, or just to enjoy the beautiful Arizona scenery.
2. Chef-Prepared Meals
When choosing assisted living apartments, it’s important to consider the food you’ll be served. If you’d like to do some cooking yourself, make sure the apartment you opt for has a kitchen in it. It’s also a good idea to look at the dining room to see the types of meals the chef prepares.
One thing to look at is to make sure the foods prepared are both healthy and delicious. You’ll be taking many of your daily meals at your new community, so the food needs to meet your nutritional needs, be well-made, and taste great. Choose a community that’s open to resident feedback and input on food options.
At BridgeWater, chef-prepared meals are served three times a day. Residents can eat in the community dining hall, which makes for great socialization, or take the food back to their apartments. There’s also a bistro coffee lounge in the community if you’re just looking for a cup of coffee to relax or start your day with.
3. Financial Solutions
Assisted living apartments can be expensive. So it’s vital to choose apartments that offer various financial solutions. For instance, at BridgeWater, we have designed our assisted living communities to specifically acknowledge seniors living on a fixed income. We also use the federal tax-credit program to provide a great option for Arizona seniors.
Community staff should work with potential residents and their families to identify if they meet income requirements and are eligible to benefit from Medicaid or other low-income solutions. If you do meet these requirements, you may be able to receive discounted pricing on an apartment studio or semi-private apartment. You may also be exempt from the annual community fee.
Additionally, if you or your loved one is a veteran, you may use your VA pension benefits to pay for assisted living expenses. This can be applied whether you served personally or if your spouse did. Make sure the assisted living apartments you choose offer financing options.
4. Resident-Centered Care
Arguably the most important aspect of the best assisted living apartments is having staff members who put each resident and their specific needs first. An assisted living community should assess your needs and listen to your desires. They should also monitor your health and well-being. To aid in this at BridgeWater, every assisted living apartment is equipped with CarePredict technology. This technology is used to improve wellness outcomes for our residents. It allows our care teams to “see behind the door” in a non-invasive way.
The technology provides staff with a wide range of clinical data. This personalized information is used to tailor care to each resident and to identify any new and emerging health concerns before they become a larger problem. CarePredict technology lets us be proactive rather than reactive, ensuring the best possible care.
As you can see, there are many items you need to pay close attention to when choosing an assisted living apartment for you or your loved one. You want a place that has everything you need to stay happy and healthy and that feels like home.
At BridgeWater Assisted Living, we have all four of the features listed above and more. If you’re interested in learning more about our assisted living apartments, contact us today. We would love to learn more about your needs and to share all we have to offer in our communities. We have communities in Avondale, Deer Valley, Midtown Phoenix, and Tucson, so you can choose the location that works best for you and your family.