A great way to "try out" a senior living community is to do a "respite" stay. These are short-term stays that most (not all) senior living communities offer to residents for them to try out the community to see if it's right for them. It's a huge step for seniors to suddenly change their lifestyle and move to senior living communities. The respite stay takes the fear and the "finality" of the move out of the equation. The senior can try out the new senior living arrangement without yet having given up his or her apartment, selling most of the furniture, or closing on the condo that he or she has decided to sell. This more relaxed approach allows the "temporary" resident to be more open to experiencing all the new opportunities available to them at the senior living communities and to making new friends there. And from what we've been told by the marketing directors at the senior living communities, a very high percentage (well over 90%!) of respite stays actually turn into long-term move-ins.

Another benefit to families taking advantage of respite stays at senior living communities is to care for their loved one when the caregiver (usually family member) needs to go out of town, take a vacation, or just take a break! Some senior living communities will offer respite stays for as short as a few days, but many require at least a week or two. At a licensed facility, there is an enormous amount of paperwork that needs to be completed for even a one night stay, which is why many senior living communities require longer stays. As most senior living communities charge a "community fee" upon move-in, this will not be charged for a short-term respite stay. If and when the respite stay turns into a "permanent" move, the community fee will then be charged. Make sure you discuss these details with the marketing director or administrator at the senior living community you select, as each senior living community has its own policies.

Eighty two year old "Lena" was not happy living alone in her apartment anymore but she could not see herself living with "old people" (her quote) in a senior living community. Her son did a lot of research with me at A Home Away From Home, toured several appropriate senior living communities in two different areas his mom was interested in, and chose a place two hours away, but in the climate that his mom wanted and needed for her health conditions. He took Lena there to see it and she thought it was wonderful. However, she was very anxious about moving to a senior living community and moving so far from her grandkids. The community worked with them and allowed Lena to try out the community with an 'open' respite stay. Her son made sure he brought the grandkids out every other week. Lena made instant friends and participated in many of the plentiful activities the senior living community offers. Each week, she was asked if she wanted to permanently move in and she'd always reply, "I'm thinking about it". Her son and the lovely directors at the senior living community were very patient, understanding, and supportive in her taking her time to make this big decision. As week seven began, Lena walked into the administrator's office, a woman with whom she had become very close, and announced "I'll take it! I'd like to live here for a very long time".