I ran across an interesting list of things to consider when choosing a retirement community.  In the past two years that I have lived in my RetCom (retirement community), I have also visited about a dozen RetComs under the guise of looking for a new home. I can tell you that there is quite a variety in what each facility offers and how they are run. Because this is a lengthy list, going through it will take multiple posts in the following days. For each item on the list, I will go over what the author of the post thought was the eleven things that you need to consider. Here is that list. If you want to visit the source of this info, click HERE.

1. Dining
2. The Greater Community
3. On-Site Services and Amenities
4. Exercise and Wellness
5. Pets
6. Help when help is needed
7. Transportation
8. Activities you are interested in
9. Family Focus
10. Cost
11. Relationships

As I go through this list, I will first give you at least a portion of what the author of the article I am using said (in italics), followed by what I have personally seen during my visits to multiple communities.  Then I will be my personal observation in my retirement community, and last, but not least, I give you a list of closing thoughts.

1. Dining

From The Author of the list:

If you want a fine meal served to you every day, or if you simply know there will be times you won’t want to cook, dining services will be a huge factor in choosing a community…. Are there a dedicated chef and waitstaff preparing and serving you meals, or is food mass-produced, like in a cafeteria? And what if you just want a quick snack or a cup of coffee in the middle of the day? These are important considerations as you investigate senior living communities.

From My Visit to Retirement Communities:

There is quite a variety of how retirement communities offer dining. Most offer sit-down dining, often as the only choice. Some offer multiple venues, such as a bristo which is basically a come to the counter and order. Some, again, have buffets. Many are open throughout the day. Some have snack bars for a quick snack. Most have a dollar amount called a stipend established on how much the monthly service costs regardless of how much you partake of the service.  Of course, if you go over that amount, you will see the extra charge on next month’s bill.

My Retirement Community:

My RetCom has only one basic option, and that is sit-down. There is a carry-out option where you sit in a room adjacent to the dining room and wait for your meal-in-a-bag to be prepared. There are about a dozen tables for the 150 or so residents during the two-hour service times for lunch and dinner, so the dining room is usually crowded. About the only time that you can get a table by yourself is in the last 20 minutes or so of the service time.

My Take On Dining:

A basic observation on RetCom dining where I am is that most of the meals are rather bland. There are very few spices used in the preparation. I suppose that is because most residents like it that way, but I am not one of them. We are on the third chef in the two years I have been here. Each is an improvement over the previous one. Of course, COVID probably had something to do with chef’s coming and going.

The Closing Thoughts:

• I would highly suggest that you partake of at least one meal during each of your RetCom visits. To me, dining is in the top 3 of importance in this list. Choose it carefully.
• It would be nice to have à la carte dining. That is, to pay for what I use, but that was not the case in any of the communities I visited.
• Being able to pop-in and eat whenever I want, and maybe even having a beer once in a while, would be worth the added expense.
• When Baby Boomers become the dominant population at RetComs dining room services will likely change somewhat dramatically with their choices and quality of service. It is just a matter of time. Search out those who are ahead of the trend.

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If you want to see all the posts here at RJsCorner about RetCom dining, click Here