The 3 ‘C’s’ Continued: Care Cost & Choice-How to Choose a Retirement Setting
September 5, 2012 allaboutestates.ca
This past week I took a client to tour 3 retirement residences. Each had a distinctly different feel and look and on paper, all three met her criteria in terms of the 3 C’s. (Care, Cost and Choice) as had been established. See my May 23, 2012 blog on The 3 C’s on choosing a retirement setting.
We had lunch at two of them and she will return to have lunch at the third with her daughter when she is next in town. Ensuring a wide menu selection with tasty choices and seeing how other residents present themselves in the dining room are important features to determine both familiarity and formality. Making the decision to move into a retirement (or un- retirement – as per the marketing material on one upscale facility) setting, is huge and one that requires understanding the options and choices available. Once the first two ‘C’s are addressed, (care and cost) then the choice factors need to be rated. In addition to location and services, the guest can be wooed with such value added amenities such as having a car and driver available, a personal trainer to one residence that has created a beach equipped with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Lighting and soothing wave music. It is also recommended that the potential guest speak with other residents and their families. In addition, a trial stay which can range from a few nights to a month, is an excellent way to try it out, and helps one to make an informed decision. There is no set formula as to when the right time is to make such a move. Safety and security are key however loneliness and isolation are important factors that many seniors face. While each person’s situation is unique, it is always best to make a move by choice rather than by default. An afternoon swim and a trip to the beach sound pretty good.
-Audrey Miller
