For two years, Karen Neetz knew it was time for her mother, who is now 90, to move to a senior living community, but she struggled to find one that was a good fit. She started with a list of 22, then narrowed it down to 10. She toured communities, tracked them on a large spreadsheet, and fought a sense of disappointment that she couldn’t seem to find a new home for her mother that sat- isfied them both. The already difficult pro- cess of helping her mother, who has battled cancer, move onto the next chapter of her life grew agonizing. Then Neetz visited the Grandbrier of


Prospect Heights, a Greenbrier Senior Living community, managed and operated by Pathway to Living, in Prospect Heights, Ill., and she loved it from the start. The at- mosphere of the community, the residents’ rooms, the staffing, and the amenities all struck her as just what they were looking for. “I wanted a place that would allow her


independence and her own life,” Neetz said. “I didn’t want her to lose that.” Adult children often play a central role in


helping their parents navigate the process of choosing a senior living community that will be their new home. The decision can be an emotional one and a wide array of factors play into the final choice, frequently de- pending on the preferences of the prospec- tive residents and their family members. For communities, that means it is not enough to just appeal to potential residents. Their families, particularly their adult children, are also integral. Michele Gittings, community relations di-


rector for Arbour Square at West Chester, a Blue Harbor Senior Living community in West Chester, Penn., said sons and daugh- ters want to know that their parents will be safe and happy. “I think it’s important to provide things


that the adult children feel that their parents should have at their fingertips,” Gittings said. “Whether it’s entertainment, whether it’s pro- fessional services, whether it’s quality dining, they want a great experience for them. They want to feel like they themselves could move in here, as though they could picture them- selves here. When they get that feeling, they feel like it’s a good place for their parents.” Amenities can capture the attention of family members and potential residents


during the decision-making process, helping to build an overall impression of a commu- nity. Margaret Wylde, CEO of ProMatura Group, a global market research and advi- sory firm specializing in consumers 50 and older, said adult children gravitate toward communities that feel like places where they can see themselves visiting frequently to see their parents. Amenities can play a role in creating that environment, though Wylde said her research doesn’t show adult chil- dren or their parents citing the amenities themselves as key factors in their selection of a community. “Very close to the top of the most im- portant things for family members is that a community is welcoming to them and gives them the opportunity to be together with their parent and visit with them,” Wylde said. Wylde worries that communities can fall


into a game of one-upmanship with com- petitors and offer amenities that provide more style than substance. Amenities, she said, should be included because they have a clear purpose and because a community is prepared to plan and program in a way that truly makes them impactful. A swimming pool, for instance, may capture attention but sit relatively unused—unless, Wylde said, there is a concerted effort to make it something residents want to use. Even bet- ter, she said, is if the effort can include adult children and other family members. “If they had a great water aerobics pro-


gram, for instance, and they invited family members to come and do water aerobics with the residents, then that would be a good use of that pool,” Wylde said. Here are 10 types of amenities that ap-


peal to adult children—while offering a clear purpose beyond mere appearances.


1


Food and beverage Olivia Korpi, assistant vice presi- dent of marketing and admissions


at Wentworth Senior Living in Portsmouth, N.H., said the children of prospective resi- dents increasingly seek flexibility in dining options in communities. In particular, they prefer dining with a restaurant-style atmo- sphere and menu options. Korpi said to- day’s adult children of residents don’t want to see their parents in a residence that feels too institutionalized and a dining experi-


ence that makes them feel as though they are in a restaurant helps to avoid that trap. Korpi said something as simple as offering


choices on a menu can make a large impact. “Even if you’re only giving them two


choices on a menu, that is the sensation of options, of independence, of making your own decisions, and that’s very important,” Korpi said. “That definitely is something that is top of mind for [family members].” Children sometimes differ from their


parents when it comes to the ideal mix of food options, Korpi said. In particular, sons and daughters sometimes want to see more gourmet food than their parents actually want. Other times, they are attracted to elaborate diets designed to aid their parents’ health, but that do not necessarily seem ap- petizing to their parents. For the most part, Korpi said, Wentworth’s residents, who have access to a formal dining room and a bistro café and kitchenette, prefer more home-style food—and they don’t want to be told to eat their vegetables. Arbour Square at West Chester has five


different dining venues of varying styles, ranging from an upscale grill with a fixed- price menu that is currently open once or twice a month to a 1950s-style diner with all-day breakfast, burgers and fries, and other diner favorites. The diversity of styles gives residents a mix of options to consider every day, depending on their preferences— and their family members’ preferences. “It appeals to adult kids for a lot of rea-


sons,” Gittings said. “Primarily, if you want to take mom and dad out for dinner, guess what? You don’t really have to go out. You can eat right here.” Gittings said Arbour Square’s fee system


allows for family members to pay for them- selves rather than be grouped on their parents’ bill, enabling them to eat guilt-free and even to treat their parents to a meal if they like. Sometimes, children of residents will reserve rooms for special events for their parents. Wylde said the most important dining


venues for adult children in senior living communities may be those that are simple and laid-back, such as a coffee shop, be- cause they provide quiet places to visit with their parent or parents without distractions or interruption. Many dining options in se- nior communities lack the intimacy neces-


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