Here or There?

Two weeks ago, I penned an article, Is It Time? on when it may be time to consider a retirement community or assisted living. The signs I listed were certainly not all-inclusive. There are, certainly, many more and may differ with each individual.

Once the decision has been made to move into an assisted living or retirement center, the first consideration may be geography. Once a location has been chosen there are a whole host of questions and factors to consider. Today, though, I will be taking what I think is a common-sense approach look at the location. Here are a few initial factors to consider:

*Nearness of Family & Friends – Do children or other family members live nearby or are they far away, perhaps even out of state?

*Area –  Do you like the area of town you’re in now? Do you want to stay in this area?

*Knowledge of the Facility – Are you already familiar with a specific facility? Do you have friends living there now?

*Affordability – A retirement center can cost as much as $5000 per month, even more. If Medicare or Long-Term Care Insurance does not completely cover it, do you have the cash or other assets to make up the difference?

The above list is definitely not exhaustive, merely factors to initially consider once you decide to enter a retirement center. My next article will cover the considerations you may want to consider once a facility has been chosen. This will include staff, services and amenities, cost (again) and fees, and other factors.