Moving to a Life Plan Community where you can age in place is a significant life decision—and finding the right one can be overwhelming.

That’s why it’s essential to consider only financially stable communities that are adequately staffed and offer the top-quality care you may need later.

So, before you start looking at residences, amenities, dining, wellness programs and other fun stuff, here are six “first things first” evaluation criteria to help you begin your search for the best senior living in Venice and Sarasota, FL:

• Community Types: Which is right for you?
• Business Models: For-profit vs. Not-for-profit
• Ownership: Independent vs. Corporate
• Community and Staff Longevity: Time tells a lot!
• Location: Think beyond the gates
• Quality: Get the care you want

Types of Retirement Communities

Knowing which kind of community best fits your needs will help you narrow your search quickly. Retirement communities are not one-size-fits-all; each type offers different services, benefits and costs.

Active Adult (“55+”) Communities offer single-family homes and apartments for purchase and charge homeowner’s association dues for outdoor maintenance and community services. True to the name, these communities promote an active lifestyle with amenities that can include a pool, clubhouse, fitness center and more. Active Adult Communities don’t offer healthcare services, so you may have to leave the community if your health needs change.

“Rental” Communities are Active Adult Communities where you rent, rather than own, your residence.

Dedicated Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing Communities concentrate on providing only a single level of healthcare and don’t include independent living.

Life Plan Communities (LPCs), or Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs), differ from Active Adult Communities because they offer a full continuum of care that allows you to transition from independent living to higher levels of care as your needs change without leaving the community.

Founded in 1982, Village On The Isle is the only Venice, FL, Life Plan Community. We offer several contract options, including a Life Care Contract, which gives you priority access to unlimited on-campus assisted living, memory care support, nursing care and rehabilitation. In fact, many residents tell us that access to our 5-star skilled nursing right on campus, should they ever need it, played a significant role in their decision to live at Village On The Isle. They find unparalleled peace of mind knowing they can receive the care they need without leaving our community (or paying any additional fees!). So, if you want to protect your assets and feel more secure in your future, a Life Plan Community may be the right choice for you.

For-profit vs. Not-for-profit Business Models: The Bottom Line

The business model of the community you choose is critically important—and for reasons that may surprise you. Here are the most significant differences between not-for-profit and for-profit senior living in Venice and Sarasota, FL:

For-profit senior living communities, as the name implies, are in business to make money. Because they’re accountable to boards of directors and shareholders, they operate under business constraints that can affect the quality of care they provide, staffing, community maintenance and more. The corporations that run them often have multiple organizational layers that can slow approvals for anything requiring financial resources. As a result, corporate-run, for-profit communities have historically had more quality issues that can put residents at risk.

Not-for-profit senior living communities like Village On The Isle aren’t accountable to shareholders and make their own decisions about managing income. The local business professionals and clergy on our Board believe in rigorous fiscal management and ensure we utilize any operating surplus to benefit our residents—and no one else. As a faith-based, not-for-profit Life Plan Community, Village On The Isle will always put people and the principles of our mission before profit.

Corporate vs. Independent Ownership: It Pays to Know the Difference

Corporate-owned senior living communities operate with the additional constraint of having to help financially support their sister communities as well as the corporation that manages them. This structure can result in budget cuts that make individual communities vulnerable to the quality issues discussed earlier.

Managed senior living communities are owned by one entity and managed by another. They can be for-profit or not-for-profit, but both pay significant management fees to an outside entity, which may be for-profit. That’s why it’s important to know whether the community directly manages itself or is run by a management company. If you don’t see the answer on the community’s website, make sure you ask a representative before you schedule a visit.

Independent senior living communities like Village On The Isle don’t have the same constraints. As a self-managed, independent community, we have the freedom to reinvest the money we make into our community to focus on providing the best amenities, programs, experience and care for our residents and the best workplace experience for our staff.

Community and Staff Longevity: Standing the Test of Time

The amount of time a senior living community has been in business says a lot about its financial stability, management strength, employee satisfaction and the care experiences that comprise its reputation in its community. In the four-plus decades we’ve been operating, Village On The Isle has earned the trust and respect of families and the medical community in Venice, Sarasota County and beyond.

One of the big reasons we’ve earned that trust and respect is our family of experienced, long-tenured team members. And we don’t use the word “family” lightly: our team has included multiple members—and generations—of the same family!

Location: Find Your Happy Place

The location of a community is an essential consideration in terms of convenience, culture and security. Too often, communities are too far outside the main city or right in the middle of heavy traffic. Village On The Isle’s Venice location strikes the perfect balance:

• Island Beauty – the breathtaking beaches of Venice are just a few miles away; walking and biking on the Venetian Waterway Trail and Legacy Trail are even closer.
• Historic Downtown Venice – we’re only a short drive from the tempting restaurants, trendy shops, galleries and rich cultural resources of one of Florida’s most beloved towns.
• Senior Friendly Tax Laws – depending on the structure of the community and your income and financial situation, a portion of your entrance fee and monthly fees may be deductible as prepaid medical expenses. Consult your tax professional to learn more.

Quality of Care

Because the quality of a community’s care is so important, it’s critical to research it as thoroughly as possible before you visit. Here are a few key things to look for, as well as how to find them:

Medicare Rating – any community that offers nursing care, including Life Plan Communities, will have a Medicare rating report you can view online at https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/. We’re proud to say that the skilled nursing care at Village On The Isle holds a 5-star rating, which is Medicare’s highest. See our most recent report.

Online consumer reviews and ratings on Google, Yelp and senior review sites like Caring.com, A Place for Mom and SeniorLiving.org are excellent resources for consumer reviews and professional assessments. Google and Yelp reviews are easy to access anonymously, but you may have to provide personal information to access information on some senior review sites.

Accreditations, like The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval®, which we earned for our nursing care, further attest to the quality of a community.

Innovative Care Models

Senior living is an ever-evolving field, and it’s essential to look for communities that keep pace with the latest best practices. One example is the Household Concept, which you’ll find in The Lofts assisted living residences at Village On The Isle. The 48 private residences are divided into three “households” of 16. Each household features a shared social area, a communal dining room and a dedicated care staff, allowing for greater autonomy and flexibility. Here, you’ll enjoy simple benefits like having breakfast on your schedule instead of at a mandatory time—a nice point of differentiation versus other communities.

Studies have shown that this more intimate—and autonomous—living experience significantly benefits emotional, social, cognitive and physical wellness. In fact, many people who tour The Lofts comment on its “home-like feel.” 

Ready to Shop? Do This First.

We’ve covered some of the basics of how to evaluate a senior living community here, but there’s still a lot to know and you probably have questions. That’s why we’re here. To learn more about the differences between not-for-profit and for-profit senior living in Venice and Sarasota, FL, call us at 941-202-4451 and ask away.