What Do You Look for in a Retirement Community?

You’re interested in finding a community of like-minded older adults to be active and engaged with. Now it’s time to evaluate what is important to you in your retirement. If you’re considering an independent living retirement community, discover what you should look for and how Channing House can provide you with endless opportunities to live amazingly.

What’s included in the monthly service fee?

A monthly service fee is a monthly charge that covers most of your amenities, home maintenance, utilities and more. At Channing House, you’ll also have access to a wellness and fitness center, a delicious dining venue and other amenities and services on campus.

How can I get involved on- and off-campus?

Staying active and engaged on campus is important to your personal wellness. At Channing House, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to stay involved on campus. You’ll have access to a well-rounded wellness and fitness center, where you’ll be able to stay fit through the latest strength, cardio and balance technology. If you’d rather work out with a group of friends and make new ones, consider attending one of our fitness classes, such as line dancing, yoga or Tai chi. In addition, you can visit our fun-filled game room or our relaxing heated, indoor pool as well as create your latest masterpiece in the painting studio.

It’s also important to remain involved with the community off campus whether it’s just for fun or giving back through volunteerism. Being close to your local community allows you to broaden your horizons and friendships. The Bay Area Older Adults™ (BAO) is a charitable organization that provides opportunities to explore California with people like you. Participate in park tours, cultural events, lectures and day trips to some of the hottest locations in the Bay Area. If you join the organization, you can receive a comprehensive monthly newsletter, discount on BAO events and more.

Meanwhile, Avenidas is a community-based, not-for-profit agency that also provides activities and services for older adults. Its mission is to help older adults be active, engaged and as healthy as possible throughout their lives by providing relevant services and programs. This spring, Avenidas is offering ukulele classes, sketching and painting courses, a wine appreciation lecture and more.

How is the retirement community itself involved with other organizations?

When examining a retirement community’s values, it’s important to look at what organizations the community partners with on a regular basis to provide support and education to residents. At Channing House, we’re members of organizations focused on the care of older adults. The American Society on Aging is a diverse community of professionals working in aging, working to cultivate leadership, advance knowledge and strengthen the skills of other members who work on behalf of older adults. This organization has many opportunities for continuing education, such as the Generations publication, where writers focus on the impact of aging. Channing House is also a member of LeadingAge California, one of the state’s leading advocates for quality, non-profit retirement living and care. LeadingAge California provides advocacy and educational programs to help members like Channing House serve older adults’ needs and wants as gracefully as possible. In addition, Channing House is a member of the California Culture Change Coalition, an organization that focuses on the transformational change that many retirement communities are embracing involving a continuum of care. All these organizations help retirement communities like Channing House create the ideal environment for people to feel comfortable, active and engaged in their retirement.

Once you have assessed all of the community benefits along with their associated costs and scheduled a visit to see how you’ll fit in, you may have an idea regarding if you want to live at this community. At Channing House, with our value-priced Life Care contract, opportunity for involvement in the community and continuum of care, you’ll easily find your perfect retirement community in the Palo Alto area. To learn more about Channing House, contact us at 650-327-0950.