How to Find the Senior Living Floor Plan that Fits You

When you’re looking to make a retirement move, it’s important to view a variety of senior living community floor plans before making a final decision.

Get an overview.

Narrow down your list of communities by gathering information about their residential options. An easy way to do this is to visit their website and check out the senior living floor plans available, such as independent living apartments or  villas. Note which residences have features you prefer, including:

• Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
• Additional space for guests, if needed
• Kitchenette or full-sized kitchen
• Outdoor space including balcony, patio, etc.
• Parking space, covered or otherwise
• In-home laundry room or shared facility

When you call the community to arrange a tour, find out how many of the floor plans you like are available. When you get a copy of the community map, mark where the residences are located within the community footprint.

Go on a tour.

Going on a tour will give you a sense of each space that you can’t get online. If the senior living floor plans that interest you are in use or staged for tours, try not to let the furniture and decor distract you. Instead, evaluate the floor plan based on how you intend to live in it.

• Is it a traditional or open plan layout you feel comfortable in?
• Are rooms easy to access, or do they feel cramped?
• Are doorways, cabinets and shelves the right height for you?
• Is there a natural traffic flow as you move from room to room?
• Do carpets and floors feel firm and nonskid?
• Can you see your major furniture pieces fitting well within the room?
• Will you have space to entertain if necessary?
• Is there sufficient natural light for your preferences?
• What’s the noise level?
• Is it close to the services and amenities you’re most likely to use?
• Is there enough storage space, or does the community provide additional storage elsewhere?
• Are emergency exits nearby and clearly marked?

Rightsize it.

You’re probably leaving a larger home filled with possessions. While you may have a certain square footage in mind, remember you’re looking for a floor plan that will be the right fit for a new phase of life. In a community like ours, you can live large with an independent lifestyle beyond your doorstep, so there’s no need to bring everything with you.

Measure your favorite furniture items to see how they will work in the floor plans you’ve chosen. Usually, more compact pieces such as loveseats or cafe tables are better choices for senior living floor plans than an overstuffed sofa or a heavy dining table. Take the opportunity to explore how you could express your personal style with new or repurposed pieces.

Trust your instincts.

You’ll be the one living there, and only you truly know your lifestyle needs. If a floor plan doesn’t seem right, keep looking. Trust your instincts, and know the right one is out there for you. For great examples of easy-to-love senior living community floor plans, try our Floor Plan Finder. Our variety of two- and three-bedroom villa and one- and two-bedroom independent living apartment floor plans are clearly rendered with accurate measurements to help you better visualize the next step in your decision-making process. Contact us today to schedule an in-person or virtual tour.