November 15, 2012

Where Do You Stay When Visiting Mom?

Senior Living Communities Add Guest Quarters

Visiting a parent at their senior living community usually means a hotel stay for you – especially if you live out of state. While senior living is a total living experience for seniors, little thought has generally been given to the needs of family members.

Guest Stays at Senior Living Facilities
Recently senior living facilities have begun looking beyond the residents to their families and guests. Out-of-town visitors - once relegated to nearby hotels or forced to displace a nine-year-old niece from her Princess-themed bedroom – have often struggled to find a convenient, cost-effective option when visiting mom or dad.

Nationwide, senior living communities have begun creating on-site accommodations for visitors...with options ranging from small studio apartments or resident units to well-appointed multi-bedroom residences on the grounds. Services vary; some offer hotel-level amenities and access to other facility resources like gyms, pools or game rooms, while others are more hands-off, providing a more apartment-like experience for the duration of a stay.

4 Questions to Consider For Senior Living Guests

It's not something anyone typically considers when looking for the best senior living community for your loved one, but understanding what guest quarters options are available at a facility is an important aspect of selecting one. Think about these four questions:

1. Are there any long-distance loved ones?
   If your family has many out-of-town friends and family members, the convenience of being able to stay on-site can be extremely important. When the entire family is local, the availability of guest quarters will likely not be a concern.
2. How many guests will be visiting?
   While a growing number of senior living communities may offer guest accommodations, in many cases it’s just a single, demo residence unit. If you’ll be bringing two kids, and Uncle Bob and Aunt Sally will be flying in then options can be more limited and you'll typically need to locate hotels near the facility. There are senior living facilities, however, that can handle such options. In fact, we do it.
3. How long will you be staying?
   Different facilities have different guidelines on the acceptable length of stay. In some cases, they limit it to three or four days, while another facility might be available for extended stays. Ask for the policy on guest accommodations when researching senior communities.
4. Is there a cost to stay onsite?
   Many senior living facilities will charge a nominal fee up to the cost of a hotel room for use of their guest quarters. Others offer their accommodations free of charge. Sometimes you'll be welcome to eat onsite with your parent for the cost of the meal.

At Sacred Heart Senior Living, we’ve taken the concept of guest accommodations to a whole new level with the addition of The Farmhouse – a spacious, charming private residence located on our grounds - a convenient place for the whole family to stay when visiting a loved one. It's a home away from home. In fact, it can even offer Mom a mini-getaway, right on site!

From anonymous hotel-like rooms and custom-furnished quarters to private homes on the facility's grounds – the range and quality of guest quarters cropping up at senior living facilities varies. If you or a loved one are in the process of evaluating senior living communities, take the time to understand what you and your family will need, and what options are available from the facility.

Have you considered what your family's needs will be when visiting your loved one?