Choose the right retirement community

When looking at a retirement community, find out if it is accredited. The Continuing Care Accreditation Commission is the only accrediting agency for continuing care retirement communities. Ask how medical care is provided. Is assisted living or nursing home care on site or on-call? Scrutinize the agreement and make sure you thoroughly understand it. Also, some retirement communities will let potential applicants spend a night in the retirement community home and take a meal. If you do this, take every opportunity to talk to as many other residents as possible to get a truly unvarnished view.

Choose the right retirement community

The fees and onoing costs of a retirement community can vary widely. Some retirement care communities provide unlimited medical and nursing home care as part of the total package. Others include a certain amount or level of care, but charge more if you exceed the limits. Still others are "fee-for-service," with the charges depending on the care needed.

Choose the right retirement community

The first step in shopping for a retirement community process is taking a good hard look at what you want. Do a little personal inventory. Characteristic such as age, health, marriage and financial status, religious preference, personal interests and hobbies will help define the type of retirement communities best suited to an individual's personality and capabilities. And rest assured: todays' retirement community home has a staggering array of options to meet every type of retiree.

Choose the right retirement community

So-called "independent living retirement communities are designed for seniors who are relatively independent both physically and socially. The primary perk in this kind of retirement community is intenance-free living; no house and lawn upkeep, linen service, trash pickup, transportation, and lunch served in a common dining center. These kinds of retirement community homes give seniors the freedom to truly enjoy the "Golden Years". Activities are another big part of independent living communities and often include crafts, exercise classes, live entertainment, movies, parties, outings and overnight bus trips, each adding a new dimension to the senior's experience. Residents generally choose apartments from one of three floor plans.

Choose the right retirement community

Many retirement communities require applicants to pass physical and mental checks. Retirement community home applicants with cancer, strokes or dementia may have their applications rejected. Even facilities that accept people who aren't healthy do so on a space-available basis. If you are looking a joining a retirement community, it's a good idea to apply while you're still healthy. People who wait until their first health crisis to apply to a retirement community might not get in.