Senior Living Community Tour

Compare the possibilities at seven Tacoma senior communities on September 18th and 25th

Are you thinking about moving into a retirement community but just don’t know where to start looking or even what questions to ask?  If so, then the Senior Living Community Tour might be just the thing for you. 

“For the past ten years we have been hosting the Senior Living Community Tour twice a year (Spring and Fall), and every time all the vans are filled to capacity,” says Christine Hall, Senior Director of Marketing and PR at Franke Tobey Jones.  “Each tour has been very informative, and all attendees walk away having learned a lot about living in a retirement community. It’s a wonderful, fun way to get a lot of information in one or two days.”

Most of the seniors on this tour are just starting the process of looking around and seeing what communities are in the area and what they have to offer. You might have questions such as:

⦁    What is the monthly rent and what does it cover?

⦁    Is your community pet-friendly? Does it cost more to have a pet?

⦁    Is there a waiting list?

⦁    What is a “buy-in” and is there one?

⦁    What is the difference between assisted living and memory care? Or memory care and skilled nursing?

⦁    What is the highest level of care that you offer?

⦁    Do you offer therapy? If so, what kinds?

⦁    What happens if my spouse needs memory care, and I don’t? Can we still live in your community?

⦁    What happens to my apartment if I need to go to skilled nursing or rehab for a period of time?

The tour will give the attendees a “snapshot” of seven communities including seeing the community common areas, walking through a couple apartments at each community as well as tasting a bite of food at each community. Attendees will be able to compare apartments, compare pricing and ask as many questions as they want in a friendly, relaxed environment.  

“It’s very helpful for seniors to see, taste and smell each community first-hand,” says Ms. Hall. “The attendees walk away at the end of the day with a totally different perspective than what they started with at the beginning of the day.”

The seven-community tour will be hosted on Wednesdays, September 18th and September 25th from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. You can RSVP to attend one or both the tours. 

September 18th will be Continuing Care Retirement Communities – those that offer skilled nursing along with independent living, assisted living and memory care. These communities are Franke Tobey Jones, eliseo and Heron’s Key. For more information or to RSVP for this tour, please contact Carole Velez, 253-320-4216 or cvelez@franketobeyjones.com

September 25th will be communities that have independent living, assisted living and memory care, but not skilled nursing. These communities are Merrill Gardens at Wright Park, Cogir at the Narrows, Gen Care at Point Ruston and Weatherly Inn - Tacoma. For more information or to RSVP for this tour, please contact Linda Lee at 253-752-8550 or lindal@merrillgardens.com.

There is lots of walking on the tour, so make sure to wear comfortable clothing and shoes.

The vans fill up very fast, so please RSVP soon. Or, if you’d like to drive yourself, please still RSVP so the organizers will have a good head count for food, brochures, and so on. Compare the possibilities at each community. 

The program of the day is as follows:

9:30am

⦁    Start at one of the five communities.

⦁    Hear a short presentation about Senior Living Communities and about today’s activities.

⦁    Tour that community.

11am to 3pm

⦁    Get aboard the community van or drive in your own car and go to the next community.

⦁    Each van will stop at all the locations on the tour that day, or drive yourself and visit the communities you choose.

⦁    Tour ends. We’ll get you back to your starting community!

“At the end of each of the previous tours the participants hug us, thank us and are so appreciative of all the information,” says Ms. Hall.  “It’s really gratifying knowing that we are working together to provide seniors with information and options that will help them make a decision about moving to a senior living community.”