With all the economic uncertainty today, there is no better time to take advantage of retirement living options that many communities are offering, commonly referred to as Short-Term Stays. What is a short-term stay? It is an opportunity to stay in a community for a few nights, weeks, or longer, to test the waters before you make a commitment to fully move into a community. Retirement and Assisted Living Communities that offer Short-Term Stays have furnished apartments all set up and ready for you to check in, as if youre going to stay in a hotel. Meals are typically included with this trial stay, as is access to all the simple, and more extravagant activities that go on in the community. Those who are coming in for a trial stay would pay a daily rate, which may or may not involve some type of care or Assisted Living. Assisted Living refers to care that is performed by a nurse or other trained caregiver, and may include things like medication assistance, escorts to meals, help with bathing, etc. Some communities offer assisted living, while others do not. This is an important item to investigate as you begin your search for the appropriate living environment, for you or your loved one.
Once a desirable community has been found, how long should the trial period last? Each situation is different, but if possible I always encourage a month stay to get the full picture of what community life entails. This particularly applies to those who are more resistant to the idea of living in a retirement community, as can often be the case. It sometimes takes a week to get acclimated, begin to relax, and start to come out of the room for more than just meals. It is typically in the second week when folks start attending activities, remembering their new friends names, and start to take more advantage of all the community has to offer. The good news is, once they get used to their new surroundings, most of them really begin to enjoy it and decide to make a permanent move. One key element to this scenario is that they are given the time and opportunity to decide for themselves. The Respite Stay allows the seniors to arrive at the decision to move into a community on their own. This makes all the difference on how well the rest of the process plays out. It is a process however, and it does take time.