Finding a safe and comfortable senior living community can be challenging for older adults and their families. For insights on the process, we asked Andrea Webb, executive director of Arbor Terrace Hamilton Mill, to share her thoughts on choosing the best place for yourself or for a loved one, according to individual needs and preferences.
Andrea is passionate about serving seniors. She has worked at Arbor Terrace at Hamilton Mill for more than two years and has devoted the past seven years of her career to working in senior living communities.
“I enjoy knowing that what I do each day makes a difference in the lives of the residents, their families and my team,” she said. “And I cherish the relationships and the deep connections that I’ve made here.”
Andrea adds that the Arbor Way standards – instilled by The Arbor Company, operator of Arbor Terrace Hamilton Mill – help guide her and her team on a daily basis.
“All of our team members at Arbor Terrace Hamilton Mill, including myself, have servant hearts,” she said. “We believe in active listening so that we can truly respond to our residents’ needs, whatever the situation.”
She adds that The Arbor Company, with more than 30 years of experience in the senior living industry, hires outstanding team members – and supports them in their important work.
“We are a team of approachable professionals who hold each other accountable while supporting each other in our successes and challenges,” she said. “Communication is a cornerstone in everything we do. If we make a mistake, we admit and work together to resolve and grow from it.
Know Your Options
For families embarking on a search for a senior living community, Andrea advises understanding the different types of senior living available. Arbor Terrace at Hamilton Mill offers four levels of care, with dedicated neighborhoods for Independent Living, Assisted Living, transitional Memory Care (called Bridges, tailored to those with early stage memory loss) and Memory Care (called Evergreen.)
“We work together across neighborhoods and buildings to meet specific needs for each resident,” Andrea said. “Our residents enjoy an active lifestyle, enriched with a full schedule of activities, outings, events, parties and camaraderie.”
Those activities fill each day at Arbor Terrace with meaning, purpose and fun for residents. One of Andrea’s favorite memories of her time at Arbor Terrace thus far is a trip to a nearby local elementary school. She joined a group of residents who visited the school to deliver coats they had collected in a coat drive.
“This was one of the residents’ ideas that turned into a big fundraiser for the school,” she said. “As we visited the classrooms, a group of children asked us, ‘Is it grandparents’ day?’ Watching the children interact with our group of residents is a memory I’ll never forget.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, outings such as the trip to the school have necessarily been curtailed in 2020. But staff at Arbor Terrace at Hamilton Mill have worked hard to continue to offer a range of activities, with adaptations for safety, during this time.
“We’re constantly innovating and adjusting how we do things,” said Webb. “Our goal is to keep our residents as engaged and active as possible while keeping them safe.”
Do Your Research
Making the decision to move a family member into an assisted living or memory care community can feel a little overwhelming. Andrea recommends doing plenty of research on several communities in your geographic area before making a decision. Start by taking inventory of what is important to you. Be open to options you may not already know about.
Tour each community you’re considering. Before your visit, prepare a list of questions, such as: How long have members of the staff and leadership team been with the community? What type of training do staff members receive? What is the resident to staff ratio?
During the visit, Andrea suggests that you use all your senses. How does the community look? Smell? Feel? How are residents and staff interacting with each other? What is your “gut feel” for the place?
Listen to your intuition, she advises.
“Ultimately, you want a place that’s warm and inviting, that truly feels like home,” she said. “Because that is what the community will be if you choose to move there.”
During your visit, be sure to talk to team members, residents and family members of residents, she says. Meet the Resident Care Director and learn about the care provided. Ditto for the directors of Engagement (activities) and Dining, and the community’s Executive Director.
Ask about the community’s state survey results and plan of action. Inquire as to whether the community offers a guarantee should you move in and are not satisfied. If so, what does the guarantee include? Get specifics.
Start Now
Begin your search for a senior living community sooner, rather than later, Andrea advises. Many families tend to wait until a sudden medical issue or change in the senior’s condition requires an immediate move. Better to start early, weigh your options and be ready. If you’re not yet ready to make the move now, that’s fine. You’ll be ready when the time does come.
Remember that, for many older adults, a move to a senior community can be a new beginning.
“Senior living is about prolonging independence and quality of life,” Andrea explained. “So often, a new resident will tell me, ‘I didn’t realize how isolated I was really at home.’ Moving into a place like Arbor Terrace at Hamilton Mill gives them new friends, new experiences and a new lease on life!”
One more bit of advice from Andrea: When you begin the search process, start at Arbor Terrace at Hamilton Mill.
“Even if we’re not the right choice for your specific needs, we’re glad to serve as a resource,” she said. “We know what’s available in the area and would love to assist.”
Toward that end, we have developed a guide to help with the process of researching communities and to ease some of the concerns that families may have when making this decision.
To learn more about finding a safe and comfortable living community, please download the e-book below.
