Finding a Senior Community that Aligns with Your Values: The Era Living Approach

Values are all around us in the choices we make, the activities we enjoy, and the places we live. This is true throughout life – including older adulthood. Taking the time to identify and honor core values can become a source of comfort and guidance if you’re considering a retirement living community for yourself or helping a loved one through this process.

Using values to make these decisions empowers people to ensure that they’re choosing for reasons that align with their core identities and what they love the most,

explains Shelley McIntyre, who helps adults navigate transitions as a “third act coach.”

What does this mean, and how can you use values to guide yourself or a loved one? Here are tips that can help you find a retirement living community that’s right for you.

Connecting values and decisions: Era Living’s RIITE values framework

Values impact decisions by highlighting what’s important in choosing between one thing and another. For example, placing a high value on safety may encourage you to find a community with the most reliable care and support. You may also value connections and socializing, which may lead you to a place where it’s easy to make friends and get involved.

Within our Era Living communities, we emphasize the RIITE values of:

• • •  Respect
    •  Integrity
    •  Innovation & Improvement
    •  Teamwork
    •  Excellence

These may tie into other related values like culture, social environment, inclusivity, and meaningful connections. They may also impact care level, locations, safety, cleanliness, services, and amenities. For instance, you may want to know that meals are provided on time each day if integrity and consistency are important to you. 

Shelley advises to keep in mind that values may be answered in different ways. For instance, if stability is important, it may be tempting for some people to stay in the home where they’ve lived for years. But a retirement community may potentially offer an even more stable and supportive environment, providing regular routines, dining, and other services.

Explicit v. implicit values (and how to identify them)

Each of us has values that are important to us. Still, asking a person to name their values can sometimes feel overwhelming. Instead, you might consider asking, “What’s really important to you?”  

Another way to identify values is through storytelling, Shelley says. For example, you might ask a loved one to talk about a time that they felt proud. Or you might ask them to tell you about an object they received that was meaningful to them. Their answers can provide insights into what’s important to them – and how this is backed up by real-life experiences. 

Most likely, it will take time to understand a person’s most treasured values. “You have to be a bit of a detective and ask, ‘When push comes to shove, what will you prioritize above all else?’” Shelley explains. 

Also, it’s important to distinguish between implicit and explicit values. “An individual’s values are all implicit until they are named. Then they become explicit,” says Shelley. Also, values must be backed up by behavior. For example, if you value generosity, you must be able to show this through acts of giving to others. This is true whether a value is implicit or explicit, Shelley says. 

Using values during your retirement living community search

One great way to connect your values to your home search is to tour different retirement living communities and observe the experiences of residents. For example, if you value socializing, you may take note of how residents interact with one another. You may also look to see if there are inviting spaces to gather and spend time with other residents.

While touring, Shelley suggests that you share your values with the location you’re visiting and ask how they can support them. You might also consider asking questions such as:

• • • Who do you know here that my loved one might get along with?
    • Do you have buddy systems?
    • Do you have built-in activities to help new residents make connections?

Along with tours, attending events at senior housing communities can provide an opportunity to experience community values in action – and meet new people! Here at Era Living, we invite you to view our events calendar and join us as our guest.

Values in action: An Era Living resident shares her story

Shirley, an Era Living resident at The Lakeshore, lives the values that she treasures most every day.

Before moving to The Lakeshore, she lived with her husband at a different retirement community. “We were happy for eight years in our senior community,” she says. When her husband passed away, she set out to find a new place to live that would be the best fit for what she wanted and needed.

As part of that search, she tried five places. Walking into The Lakeshore, she knew it was the place for her.

I treasure community living,” she explains. “Immediately I felt I have friends, I have family, the staff are incredible … Now I’m an ambassador and I welcome other people to the community.

“Activities are another huge thing for me,” says Shirley. Some of her favorite activities are exercise, bingo, and group outings to local restaurants. She also enjoys baking cookies for fellow residents and spending quiet time reading or doing puzzles (supplied by The Lakeshore’s library and vast puzzle collection). “There’s something for everyone,” she says.

Looking back on her community search, Shirley recalls that her daughter was hoping she’d find a place closer to her. While Shirley tried, The Lakeshore (which is a longer drive from her daughter) just felt right. She says her family supported her in doing what was best for her. And they’re still able to spend quality time visiting her at The Lakeshore.

Shirley wanted a community where she would find friends and feel valued – and she found it through Era Living.

Setting up for success in finding a senior housing community

Whether you’re seeking a senior housing community for yourself or a loved one, moving can be an emotional experience. You have memories, habits, and longstanding relationships that can influence how you feel and how you approach your home search.

For both older adults and their children, moving to a new community can often feel like a loss because people are letting go of old roles, explains Shelley, who recently spoke about values-based decision-making at an Era Living summit. Also, children’s needs and wants may be different from their parents’. 

With these things in mind, Shelley encourages families to focus on the needs and values of the person who will be moving. Families can also reflect on value-based decisions after a move. Talking about why you chose a community can help ease the transition and remind people about the things that are most meaningful to them. 

How we can help with independent living for seniors and other housing options

At Era Living, we understand how important it is for you or your loved one to find a community that’s right for you. 

Identifying your values can be a great place to start – whether you’re looking for senior independent living, assisted living, or memory care. It will likely take some time to settle into any new home. However, finding a community that aligns with your values can help support the best outcomes. 

To learn more and explore options for a Seattle retirement community through Era Living, contact one of our retirement living specialists.