It’s the moment that neither you nor your parents have been looking forward to. The discussion of picking their retirement home was once a joke and an incentive for parents to be extra nice.

However, if ever safety becomes an issue, the topic suddenly becomes very serious. Fortunately, the right choice can actually represent a positive change in life, one where your parents continue to enjoy an active, engaging lifestyle in a secure, supportive environment.

Often, the decision to move to a retirement home isn’t about ability or health, and has everything to do with wanting an ultra-convenient lifestyle with maximum independence.

Today’s retirement homes aren’t like some of the nursing homes of the past. They can be trendy, even luxurious, all while providing residents with the utmost care and support. In this post, we’ll do a deep dive into how to choose a retirement home in Pickering for your parents or relative.

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An Unexpected Ally

You might think that the search for the right retirement home begins by getting in touch with management and arranging tours of the most likely facilities. And those are steps that you will take eventually.

However, there is a resource that you may not even think about tapping into: the expertise of a real estate agent. More specifically, a certified Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES) and Accredited Senior Agent ™ (ASA), like Geeta Rajpal has recently obtained. At Team Rajpal, we work closely with Elderado to narrow it down to the top choices where your parents will be happy, well cared for, and living their best lives like never before.

This expert guidance in deciding your parents’ next stage in their journey changes the game completely. Ordinarily, you might review dozens of facilities and hope to find one that matches the need. Instead, we’ll begin with the end in mind. We’ll consider your parents’ needs, then find a retirement solution to match.

One of the first questions as your parents move is what will happen to the family home? If you choose to sell, the posts below can help:

• What Not to Fix or Renovate Before Selling a House
• 4 Must-Know Tips Before You Sell
• How NOT to Sell a House

Finetuning Criteria Based on Lifestyle

All retirement homes are not the same. Each facility falls into a category based on residents’ ability and desired lifestyle to give the exact amount of support a senior needs to make the most of life. For example:

A senior with memory problems and crippling mobility issues might need round-the-clock care, but they still want meaningful moments and experiences with their loved ones. They want to be part of the conversation. More importantly, they want to feel included.

A senior who is fully cognizant and mobile neither wants nor needs a full-time nurse. But they may very well want help so they can be outdoors hiking and exploring rather than inside sweeping floors or doing dishes.

Some residents fall in between these two archetypes, hence the need for different services. To clarify what works best for your parents, start by identifying which category they best fit under.

Independent Living

One day, possibly even soon, every house will have robots that cheerfully do all of the cooking and cleaning. Lawn mowers will run on auto-pilot, and tech companies will find a way to create driveways and walkways to resist snow and ice. Until then, there are independent living facilities.

This solution is perfect for active seniors who could do everything for themselves, but no longer want to. Who wants to spend time inside making dinner when they could be out and about making friends and finding new adventures? Even if it’s just relaxing at home watching TV or having coffee, your parents will have all the independence and privacy they want, with none of the isolation that often comes with aging.

Assisted Living

For those with mild arthritis or other chronic pain that’s just bad enough to stop them from performing all of the hard work they used to endure, but not so bad that they can’t live life to the fullest, there’s assisted living.

Your parents will still enjoy a degree of independence and privacy, but with 24-hour support available if they need it. This is the perfect solution for someone who wants to spend what energy they have with the people they love rather than on tedious chores.

Memory Care

Some residents require a greater degree of care and support, particularly those suffering from mental decline. We’re not talking about the slight forgetfulness that is normal as we age. This is for patients with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

If you’re concerned about safety, these secure facilities will provide your parents with safety, security, and the much-needed attentiveness so critical for their emotional and mental well-being.

Respite Care

Sometimes, the need for extra support is temporary. For that, there’s respite care. This is for seniors who are recovering from an extended illness or injury. They are on the mend, but still need a little help and attention along the way.

Alternatively, this could be a way to test drive a permanent residence without making a drastic commitment. The stays may be short-term, but your relative still gets the same care and support as a permanent resident.

Planning to downsize or helping someone who is? Start by reading the related posts below:

• What Are the Top Places in the GTA When Downsizing?
• Are You on the Fence About Downsizing?
• The Art of Downsizing & Simplifying Your Life

Pickering Retirement Homes

Now that you have an idea of what your parents need and want, you can begin to match them with the most suitable option. Now, the next step is to decide where you want to find a retirement home and what might be available. When searching for Pickering retirement homes, you have numerous options at any given time. Here are a few possible contenders.

Amica Pickering

Amica, also known as the “best in class senior living,” is one of the most recognizable names. They offer services for independent and assisted living as well as memory care. You can visit their website to learn more about Amica Pickering, costs, services, and availability. Better yet, contact Team Rajpal and we are happy to represent you.

Chartwell Pickering

Chartwell Pickering City Centre Retirement Residence is located in one of Pickering’s best shopping districts, making it a highly convenient and trendy retirement destination! Flexible care plans allow for maximum independence, with increasing levels of support should your parents need it.

Viva Pickering Retirement Community

If no one told you otherwise, you’d never know that Viva Pickering is a retirement residence. By all appearances, it’s a vibrant, modern, trendy condo community. Respite care and assisted living are available, but Viva Pickering is mostly about independence.

Building amenities include a wellness spa and an in-house movie theatre. The location is right in the midst of countless restaurants and shops. But your parents won’t have to go out to eat unless they want to as they’ll get three freshly-prepared meals every day. Because why waste time cooking? They could be out there exploring all that Pickering has to offer active retirees.

Do you need more support and guidance in helping your parents sell, buy, or downsize? Our Pickering real estate agents are happy to step in at any stage in the process. Reach out today at info@teamrajpal.com or call 647-372-2997 with any questions.

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