What to Know Before Researching Senior Living Online

When planning a big purchase or researching a decision, most of us now go online first. The same often holds true when deciding whether to move to senior living. As you may have already realized, a lot of information is available. This is excellent news as you should be able to learn anything you want to know. At the same time, however, it can quickly become overwhelming. But don’t worry; these tips can help make researching senior living online easier. 

Beginning your search for senior living  

As you start researching senior living online, here are five tips to consider:

Understand your options 

Many people don’t realize that there is more than one type of senior living. Options actually include independent living, assisted living, and memory care. It’s important to identify the best fit for you or your loved one before looking at communities because not all offer each type of senior living. Here’s a brief description of each type: 

• Independent Living – Ideal for seniors who can still live independently as the lifestyle focuses on convenience and active living with home upkeep, cooking, and cleaning provided. Residents also enjoy a range of amenities as well as social and enrichment opportunities.  
• Assisted Living – Provides many of the same services, amenities, and activities as independent living. Still, you’ll also have assistance with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, and medication management. Onsite medical care is also available.  
• Memory Care – Exclusively for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia, memory care offers 24-hour support in a secure, nurturing environment with specially trained staff.  

Be specific when researching senior living online 

With so many options available, it’s important to be specific. We recommend you search by the type of senior living (independent living, assisted living, or memory care) that you determined fits best and your preferred location. For example, “assisted living in city, state.” 

Download our Choosing the Right Community Guide today! 

Look closely at community websites 

Next, visit the senior living community websites that come up based on your search. Make sure to check out not only their services and amenities but also their videos, image galleries, activity calendars, and floor plans. Many will also have other resources available such as financial calculators, self-guided assessments, how-to guides, and even blogs like these to help you in researching senior living.  

Follow them on social media 

You can expect most senior living communities to be active on social media, which is helpful because it’s where you’ll get a true sense of their personality and what daily life is like for the residents. So, following the senior living communities you are interested in is a must. 

Don’t forget online reviews 

In researching senior living, make sure to include online reviews. But remember to consider them with a grain of salt in gauging the reputation of the communities you’re considering. You don’t want to base a decision on that alone but rather as part of the overall picture. 

After researching senior living online 

Once you’ve completed researching senior living, ideally, you’ve found two to three communities that you’d like to tour. Most senior living communities now have the option to tour online or in person. Either way, you can schedule your tour by contacting the communities directly or through their website. Then, you’ll answer a few questions so the team can gain an understanding of your needs to personalize the tour experience.  

For additional information on researching senior living, download our Choosing the Right Community Guide today!