Please be patient while we create a copy of this decision for you...
| Name | Description |
| Area characteristics | How well do the area characteristics, like municipality, geography, threats, cultural mix, and noise/pollution, etc., meet your needs? |
| Municipal location | How well does the city or town location meet your needs? (Consider lifestyle, safety, education, recreation, etc.) |
| Geography | How desirable is the surrounding geography of the property? (Wooded, water front/view, mountains, high desert, etc.) |
| Threats | How susceptible is the property to natural disasters? (Flooding, avalanche, forest fires, tornados, hurricanes, etc.) |
| Locality considerations | How do you rate the overall locality considerations, such as crime rate, environment, state and local taxes, and available services? |
| Crime rate | What is the neighborhood (area) crime rate? |
| State and local taxes | How well does the total State and local tax burden for the location of the retirement community fit your retirement reserves? (Consider income, sales, property, estate, and selective taxes, among others.) |
| Local services | How do you rate the overall availability of local services, such as emergency services, shopping, transportation, cultural and support services? |
| Emergency services | What is the proximity to emergency services? (Police, fire, rescue, hospital, etc.) |
| Hospice care support | What is the quality of the separate Hospice agency affiliated with the facility? |
| Property characteristics | How do you rate the overall property characteristics of the retirement community? (Consider housing type, condition, controlled access, visitation, grounds care, parking, certification, etc.) |
| Type | How well does the housing type (home/cabin, apartment, suite, room, etc.) meet your needs? |
| Condition | How do you rate the overall condition of the retirement community? (Consider individual residences, multi-unit buildings, apartments/rooms, grounds, etc.) |
| Controlled access | How do you rate controlled access security for the community/building? (Guarded, gated, receptionist, etc.) |
| Pools/Spas | How well do the pool and/or spas facilities meet your needs? (Consider heated pools, spas, water aerobics areas, wading areas, etc.) |
| Communications services | How acceptable is the availability of basic communications services? (Phone, TV, Internet, etc.) |
| Visitation | How acceptable are the visitation hours and policies for the retirement community? |
| Grounds care | How acceptable is the overall grounds care? |
| Certification | Is the retirement facility certified by the state? (Compliance with quality and resident rights laws to qualify for Medicare and other coverage.) |
| Residence characteristics | How well do the overall residence characteristics meet your needs and preferences? (Consider access, mobility, rooms, square footage, baths, exterior features, furniture and fixtures, emergency capabilities, etc.) |
| Disability access | How adequate is handicap access to the residence? |
| Handicapped mobility | How do you rate handicapped mobility within the residence? |
| Exterior | How well do the overall exterior characteristics, like number of levels, move-in access, patios/courtyards, lawn care services, etc., meet your needs? |
| Patio/Courtyard | Does the residence home have supervised patio/courtyard facilities? |
| Interior | How suitable are the overall interior characteristics of the residence to your needs? (Consider square footage, rooms, flooring, bedrooms, baths, etc.) |
| Windows | How well does the size of the window(s) in the residence meet your preferences? |
| Flooring | How do you rate the flooring used in the residence? |
| Furnishings | How adequate are the furnishings that come with the residence? |
| Room(s) | How do you rate the overall suitability of the rooms in the residence, considering, type, size, closets, baths, shared vs. private, etc.? |
| Room type | How well does the type of living arrangement suit you? (Suite, room, private vs. semi-private, etc.) |
| Closets | How suitable are the size and storage capacity of the closets in the residence? |
| Bedrooms | How well does the number of bedrooms suit your needs? |
| Bath(s) | How well does the bathroom arrangement suit you? (Consider private vs. shared.) |
| Fixtures and equipment | How do you rate the overall quality and condition of fixtures and equipment? (Consider HVAC, plumbing, utilities, etc.) |
| HVAC | How suitable is the type of heating and air conditioning used in the residence? |
| Emergency considerations | How do you rate the overall emergency preparedness of the residence, including exits, alarms, etc.? |
| Emergency exits | How do you rate availability of emergency exits for the building/residence? |
| Alarms | How adequate are the fire and security alarm systems? |
| Miscellaneous | How suitable is the policy towards pets, indoor plants, etc.? |
| Pets | Can you have pets? |
| Plants | Can you have indoor plants? |
| Care services | How well do the overall care services meet your needs? (Consider your needs assessment and the level of continuing, general living, medical, and acute care provided.) |
| Needs assessment | Do you have a complete and detailed needs assessment? (Consider ADL’s, household chores, mobility, medical, behavioral, financial issues.) |
| General living care | How well does the overall general living care, such as meals, housekeeping, laundry, ADL’s, hours of care, etc., meet your needs? |
| Activities of daily living (ADL’s) | Will you receive the level of ADL’s assistance you need? (Eating, dressing, toileting, bathing, getting in/out of bed, medication supervision, etc.) |
| Food and dietary services | How do you rate the quality of the food preparation and dietary services within the residence facility? (Meals, menu planning, dietary health consultations, etc.) |
| Housekeeping quality | How do you rate the quality and frequency of housekeeping services within the residence facility? |
| Laundry services | How do you rate the quality and frequency of laundry services within the residence facility? |
| Medical care | How do you rate the overall extent and quality of general medical care provided? (Consider diabetes, incontinence, medication management, dental, rehab, respite, and interim care.) |
| Medication management | How do you rate the quality of the medication controls within the residence facility? (Consider dispensing, dosage control and tracking, resident use compliance, staff pilferage, etc.) |
| Health services | How do you rate the quality of the health staff and services within the residence facility? (Consider general care physicians, nurses, therapists, acute care, rehabilitation, etc.) |
| Rehabilitation services | How well do the rehabilitative services, if any, meet your needs? (Consider occupational, physical, respiratory, speech therapies, etc.) |
| Medical support services | How well equipped is the facility with on-site medical support services? (Consider pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, etc.) |
| Dental services | How do you rate the on-site dental services, if any, at the facility? |
| Respite care | Does the facility have adequate capacity to offer quality respite care, so regular caregivers can take a break? |
| Interim medical care | Does the facility have adequate capacity to offer quality interim medical care after a hospital stay? |
| Acute care | How well do the acute care facilities meet your needs? (Consider Alzheimer’s units, Parkinson’s, respiratory, hospice, chronic psychiatric care, etc.) |
| Kidney dialysis | How do you rate the on-site kidney dialysis treatment capability, if any? |
| Alzheimer’s units | Does the facility have separate Alzheimer’s units? |
| Alzheimer’s and dementia care | How do you rate the care level for retirees with Alzheimer’s and dementia? |
| Respiratory care | How do you rate the respiratory care capabilities of the facility? |
| Parkinson’s care | How do you rate the Parkinson’s care capabilities of the facility? |
| Hospice care | How well equipped is the facility for hospice care for the terminally ill? |
| Chronic psychiatric care | How well equipped is the professional staff to provide chronic psychiatric care? |
| Activities and programs | How well do the variety of activities and programs, including social, hobby, instructional, recreational, cultural, volunteerism, etc., meet your needs? |
| Social programs | How suitable are the available social programs at the retirement community? (Reading groups, dances, choir, recitals, bingo, etc.) |
| Hobby/Instructional programs | How suitable are the available hobby and instructional programs at the retirement community? (Art, pottery, gardening, music, wellness, etc.) |
| Recreational programs | How suitable are the available recreational programs at the retirement community? (Fishing, tennis, golf, shuffleboard, badminton, nature walks, games, etc.) |
| Cultural programs | How suitable are the available cultural programs at the retirement community? (Historical trips, museum visits, theatre, concerts, opera, etc.) |
| Jobs | What is the general availability of jobs for retirees, if you choose to or have to work? |
| Volunteering | How good are retiree opportunities for volunteer work in or around the community? |
| Transportation services | Does the residence home provide transportation services? |
| Financial and contractual | How well do the overall financial and contractual options meet your financial capabilities? (Consider upfront and monthly fees, insurance coverage, total costs, service options, power of attorney, etc.) |
| Financial considerations | How well do the overall financial considerations meet your retirement budget? (Consider initial fees, monthly fees, annual costs, healthcare costs, insurance, net worth, etc.) |
| Deposit/Entrance fees | How affordable is the initial deposit/entrance fee for the retirement community? |
| Monthly fees | How affordable are the monthly fees for the retirement community? |
| Net worth | How do you rate the adequacy of your net worth to cover your retirement care needs? |
| Healthcare costs | How well do the overall healthcare costs for the retirement community compare to national averages? |
| Medicare supplemental insurance | How well does your Medicare supplemental insurance, if any, cover charges at the retirement community? (Medigap, Medicare Select, Medicare managed care plans, etc.) |
| Annual costs | How does the total annual costs compare to national norms? |
| Contractual considerations | How well do the overall contractual service options, such as coverage, continuing care, power of attorney, etc., meet your needs? |
| Service coverage | How adequate is the level and frequency of services covered in the monthly fee? (Meals, housekeeping, menu planning, general health care, activities, etc.) |
| Continuing care plans | How adequate are the continuing care plans available? (Progressive care from unassisted living to more advanced care.) |
| Power of attorney | Do you have a financial power of attorney in place with the facility, a family member, or trusted friend? |
This site is intended as an informational tool only and should be used in consultation with appropriate professional advisors.
Please be patient while we create a copy of the 'Choose a Nursing Home' scenario for you...
