Exton, Pennsylvania, is a small city in Chester County that is packed with tremendous shopping and dining options, plenty of lush parks, and easy access to the big-city offerings of Philadelphia. Between 2013 and 2018, Chester County’s senior population grew by 18.4 percent, making the region home to a rapidly growing and vibrant community of retirees.
To meet the needs of the county’s booming senior population, a wealth of senior living options have popped up in the area. For those looking for senior living in Exton, understanding your options, avoiding red flags, and prioritizing amenities are the keys to success.
There Is a Range of Options to Choose From
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the different options for senior care and what exactly they mean for seniors and their families.
Here are some options for senior living in Exton, each designed to meet different needs:
- Independent living: ideal for seniors in relatively good health who desire the social aspect of a retirement community without the maintenance demands that come with owning a home.
- Personal care: apartmentlike communities for seniors who can live independently, but could benefit from a few basic services, such as assistance with medications, housekeeping, or bathing. Personal care means enough freedom and independence for residents to come and go as they please, planned social activities, nutritional support, and healthy aging.
- Dementia care: for seniors with Alzheimer’s or age-related dementia. Dementia care includes 24-hour supervision, family counseling and support, attention from specialists, and personalized cognitive care plans. Some communities maintain dementia care facilities on-site so that residents can easily transition to this level of care if necessary.
- Continuing care retirement communities: typically include a range of the types of care listed above in one general location, so that residents can easily transition to an increased level of assistance as their needs change.
Communities such as Arbor Terrace Exton offer personal care and have dedicated, secure areas staffed with dementia care specialists who provide dementia care.
Not All Communities Are Created Equal
Senior living should be clean, comfortable, engaging, and staffed with considerate and dedicated professionals. Be on the lookout for any signs or red flags that indicate otherwise while touring or researching communities.
Here are a few common red flags:
- Residents should be engaged with one another and staff members. If you’re touring a community and notice that residents seem closed off, or that staff are just going through the motions, that could be a bad sign.
- If a community has negative reviews online or has gotten into trouble for committing state violations, those things need to be scrutinized and may often be deal breakers.
- Staffers who are hard to reach, avoid answering questions, or simply don’t seem interested in getting to know you or your loved one should be considered a red flag.
Senior living is all about personalized care, and the only way to provide that is by creating a caring environment that is responsive to individual needs.
Exton Provides Must-Have Amenities
The idea that senior care communities are gloomy, uninspiring places is an outdated concept. Senior living has evolved, and residents should raise their expectations to include a full activity and events calendar, healthy, gourmet dining options, thoughtfully designed apartments and common spaces, and an enthusiastic, considerate staff.
Amenities should reflect personal interests, but here are a few must-haves:
- Community living rooms and inviting dining rooms that encourage socialization
- Wellness centers that offer fitness and exercise programs geared toward seniors
- Fine-dining options that include chef-prepared, customizable meals
- Programs that encourage residents to interact, learn, and stay active
Communities such as Arbor Terrace Exton go above and beyond by offering additional amenities, including an outdoor garden seating area and restaurant-style dining.
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