If you are thinking about moving to a retirement community, you would want to look for the best place that suits your needs. In 2022, there are more than 46,000+ retirement communities across the United States and the most convenient way to find out more about them is to visit their websites and read through their online reviews.
These online reviews can help you to decide whether or not the retirement community fits your idea of senior living. They also allow you to make your decision based on what other people and their loved ones have experienced in various retirement communities. However, be mindful that these online reviews may not be 100% reliable.
So what can you do to safely navigate through all senior living reviews that are available online? Here are some of the things to keep in mind when looking for the best retirement community.
Check for Ratings
Check the ratings for every retirement community and look for the stars. These stars indicate the quality of the retirement community based on feedback gathered from the residents or their family members. The higher the number of stars, the more positive the reviews will be. These stars usually tell you if the retirement community is worth checking out. When you see a low star rating, the reviews will likely be negative, which probably means that you should avoid that specific community.
Read the Feedback in Online Reviews
In online reviews, residents usually talk about their experiences with the team members in a retirement community. The abundance of positive reviews may sway you into choosing that particular retirement community. However, if you do see negative feedback, do not ignore it. Instead, check if there are other residents who had similar negative experiences. Paying heed to both positive and negative reviews will enable you to weigh the pros and cons and give you a better picture of the retirement community.
Interaction between Residents and Team Members
Online reviews can show you if there is two-way communication between the team members and the residents. You can be sure the reviews have credibility when the team in a retirement community actively engages with residents and their family members. Active engagement shows how responsive the team is and this in turn indicates their level of dedication to the residents.
When you see positive reviews written about the team members of a retirement community, you can be quite certain that they are approachable people who will acknowledge your unique needs and treat you with respect.
Visit the Retirement Community
Of course, the best way to find out if the online reviews are true will be to visit the retirement community for yourself. After doing your research online, you should then take it offline too. Most retirement communities organize scheduled tours that provide opportunities for you to mingle and talk to the residents, as well as get to know the team members. Only by touring a retirement community will you know if what you have read online matches your expectations.
If you are looking for a retirement community in FL, schedule a tour today and visit our beautiful grounds. Check out our amenities and senior living programs and decide if our environment and lifestyle will suit your needs and preferences.
