Central Indiana is home to nearly 500,000 adults over the age of 55.
There are plenty of seniors in need of assisted living with many more coming in the next decade. If you’ve got a loved one in need of some form of senior care, it’s important to know that there are plenty of options. That said, choosing the right assisted living community in Indianapolis requires some due diligence.
This is an overwhelming transition for any senior. In today’s post, we’ll help you make the right decision for your loved one’s needs by explaining how to find the ideal assisted living in Indianapolis.
When you make the right assisted living community selection, your loved one can enjoy a fruitful life among their peers. Keep reading and you’ll know what criteria to prioritize and what sets Rittenhouse Village apart from the competition.
What Your Loved One Needs
Before you can truly begin your search for the perfect assisted living community, you need to determine what type of care your loved one needs. There are various types of senior care and by choosing the right one, you can guarantee an optimal quality of life for their retirement years.
The most basic type of senior care is independent living. This is meant for seniors who are healthy but desire a downsize in their living situation and lifestyle. These retirement communities offer a bustling social life and low-maintenance daily living that’ll help your loved one relax.
If your loved one has issues with mobility or any other age-related illnesses, assisted living is the answer. Assisted living communities have staff who are available to help residents with everything they need – dressing, bathing, eating, etc.
Then, you’ve got memory care. This is a special form of assisted living geared towards those suffering from Alzheimer’s. Community staff are trained in helping residents navigate the unique and evolving challenges associated with dementia.
If your loved one has started showing signs of advanced aging, assisted living and memory care are the obvious choices. If they’re relatively healthy, sit down with them and figure out what they want in an independent living community.
How to Choose Assisted Living
Different assisted living communities offer different perks. That said, there are some universal things that you should prioritize in your search. Here are a few of the most important criteria to consider when searching for the best assisted living in Indianapolis.
Ratings and Reviews
You can start your search online. By Googling, “top senior communities Indianapolis”, you’ll get a list of the most viable options. From there, you can turn to ratings and reviews to separate the best from the rest.
Nobody can tell you more about what it’s like to live in a particular community than relatives of current and former residents. They know all of the good and bad in the community, so if there are any red flags, this is how you’ll find out.
Use these red flags to eliminate some communities from your list. Choose a few communities with sterling reputations to take tours of with your loved one.
Staff Expertise
There are several things you’ll want to look for during a senior living community tour. You need to know that the rooms are acceptable and the pricing is within your budget. The next most important thing is to get a sense of the staff’s expertise and level of compassion.
Staff qualifications become more important as the care becomes more intense. In assisted living communities, staff are with residents most of their waking hours, helping them with whatever they need.
It’s when memory care is involved that training is most apparent. Memory care requires compassionate and experienced staff to help residents deal with the complex challenges of memory loss. During your tour, ask what training staff have and try to speak to some staff members to gauge their level of compassion.
Amenities and Activities
Often, the things that set one community apart are amenities and activity programming. Different communities have unique amenities to keep their residents entertained. One might have plenty of outdoor space for residents to lounge in, while another might have an entertainment room.
Your loved one’s interests will determine what types of amenities they value. In addition to amenities, the activity calendar is another important thing to consider. Great communities will have a rotating set of daily activities to promote socialization, health, and wellness among residents.
Socializing is one of the great perks of assisted living. Residents get the chance to spend time with their peers, which can help to decrease feelings of social isolation that are so prevalent among seniors. Activities can help facilitate relationships, whether it’s bingo night or a book club.
Other activities are geared toward physical fitness. As we age, getting the requisite amount of aerobic exercise is necessary to build and maintain strength. Mental strength is just as important, with many activities to help with memory and sharpness.
Dining Options
The other end of the health spectrum in assisted living has to do with nutrition. Seniors need a balanced diet full of nutrients and vitamins to stay healthy and stave off a variety of illnesses, such as osteoporosis, heart disease, and even some cancers.
A good senior community will have an in-house restaurant to make nutrition simple. There should be a rotating menu of tasty meals that account for the nutritional needs of all residents. In addition, all rooms should be equipped with full kitchens in case residents prefer to cook for themselves.
Get the Best Assisted Living Community in Indianapolis
These tips will help you single out the very best assisted living community in Indianapolis. We can make it even easier, however.
Rittenhouse Village at Northside is Indianapolis’ top option for assisted living and memory care. In particular, our SHINE® Memory Care Program is recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association for its quality of care.
Our goal is to provide our residents with the highest possible quality of life. We do this with compassion and attention to detail. Contact us today to learn more about our community and schedule a tour to see if for yourself.
