Are there rules and restrictions in a Life Plan community?
You’re bound to find rules and regulations meant to protect the full community in any congregate living situation. This was true when you were in college, you may remember — and it’s just as true now in a Life Plan senior living community. But a senior living community isn’t a college campus all over again, and it might be helpful to consider how this kind of community regulates itself for reasonably orderly, reliably rewarding, contentment-ensuring lifestyles.
What to expect, rules-wise
In most senior living communities, you’ll probably find rules about:
- Smoking, vaping and marijuana
- Alcohol
- Kitchens in residences
- Dining hours
- Noise and other disruptions
- Respectful behavior toward other residents and staff
- Total number of people who can live in a residence
- Pets, including which types, sizes, temperament issues, and on which floor(s) they’re allowed
There may be other rules, depending on the community. The most accurate information about yours can be found in your Residency Contract. You can also ask your sales counselor about specific issues and concerns.
Plus, you should note that moving to assisted living, memory care or skilled nursing will probably change the rules. For example, skilled nursing is regulated by CMS.
Smoking, vaping and marijuana
To avoid fire hazards and to protect other residents and staff members from second-hand smoke, cigarettes, pipes, cigars, vaping and smoking marijuana aren’t allowed inside a Life Plan community.
The community may offer outdoor smoking areas, depending on what’s legal in the state.
Speaking of fire hazards, you should expect the community to conduct regular fire drills in support of fire safety.
Alcohol
In most Life Plan communities, residents can possess and consume alcohol. You’re likely to find beer, wine and cocktails at pre-dinner gatherings, happy hours and other times of entertainment. Many of the dining venues serve alcoholic beverages, too.
Modest consumption of alcohol — alongside non-alcoholic choices — is part of many communities’ active social life. It’s the active social life, more than the alcohol, that’s the backbone of the community.
Kitchens in residences
While Life Plan communities provide a wide range of exceptional dining choices, many residents prefer occasionally cooking for themselves at home. For their benefit, their independent living residences include kitchens designed with savvy, seasoned home cooks in mind, featuring full-size appliances and up-to-date conveniences.
Residents are welcome to make their breakfasts, lunches and dinners in their own kitchens — pleasing their tastes with their favorites. The community’s restaurants are available when residents would prefer to be served the chef’s fare — and avoid preparation and cleanup chores, too. Plus, these dining settings offer the additional benefit of socializing with friends and neighbors.
Beyond independent living, you’ll find that assisted living and memory care include the community’s plan to provide three full meals daily. The residences offer kitchenettes with small refrigerators for snacks and essentials. There are no stoves or cooktops.
Take a look. You can review kitchens in floor plans here.
Dining hours
Right now, you can raid the ‘fridge and have toast and eggs anytime you like. But in a community, staffing requirements mean setting the kitchen’s operating hours to meet residents’ needs without splurging on a complete, round-the-clock culinary and serving staff.
The sit-down dining venues (see menus) set hours that please most residents. The communities usually offer a bistro that includes grab-and-go options prepared by the culinary staff — a great convenience for those who need a bite when the other dining venues aren’t open.
And if the dining times aren’t entirely to your liking, consider this: Senior living communities often attract top culinary talent to their kitchens simply because those hours are a little more reasonable (no late, late nights) and the patrons — the residents — are generally happier and more appreciative. For some excellent-but-weary chefs, a Life Plan community’s kitchen is a welcome, refreshing, delightful change, and they’re eager to please!
Noise and other disruptions
Don’t like your serenity disturbed? Neither do your neighbors. Which is why most communities post reasonable, easy-to-follow guidelines for restricting noise to tolerable times — not too late and not too early.
What’s more, the design and construction of Life Plan communities follow best practices for noise abatement — which is especially important in urban regions. And for when your dear neighbors receive a visit from their young great-grandchildren: You’ll only know if you see them in the hall.
Respectful behavior toward other residents and staff
Simply put, choose kindness.
Many communities now protect their employees from rude behavior and disrespectful communication by including residency contract clauses that define offenses and penalties. It’s important because when employees are treated poorly, they’re more likely to leave, and that’s bad for team morale and it strains service delivery.
Resident-to-resident interaction can also affect community morale. Disputes and hostilities between a few may negatively influence group activities and social gatherings. Warnings are generally provided; when offensive behavior continues, the community has the right to ask residents to leave.
Total number of people who can live in your residence
Your community knows your guests are important. Visits and overnights are allowed, assuming your guests follow community guidelines.
The grandkids can certainly sleep over — and chances are they’ll come to believe staying with you is like staying in the best hotel ever, where everybody finds them adorable and entertaining.
Reasonably priced and easy-to-reserve guest suites are often available. But before you invite a friend or family member for an extended stay, ask about the number of days the community allows. Lengthy, quasi-residency is discouraged.
Want to know what else a community can offer that appeals to residents and their guests? Read “What do the best senior living communities have that others don’t?”
Pets
When you want your daily life to include a pet, or when you don’t want pets to be around in your daily life, you need to find out what the community’s pet policies are. Do this before you get too far down the road of signing a contract and moving in.
Knowing how beneficial pets can be in older adults’ lives, many senior living communities welcome residents’ pets.
Residents are responsible for taking care of their pets, and pets aren’t allowed when they prove to be disruptive or dangerous to other residents.
Where once there were size restrictions, now it’s more common to reference temperament. After all, tiny dogs aren’t necessarily nice, and big dogs aren’t always mean. Often, certain floors and floor plans with easier access to the outdoors are designated for residents with dogs. And some communities offer off-leash areas.
In addition to dogs, cats and other animals — birds, gerbils, fish, etc. — are often allowed.
Residences have individually controlled heating and cooling systems that help contain allergens.
For residents with pets, additional deposits may be required.
Pets may also be allowed in assisted living, but less often in memory care, where residents or their families can’t care for a pet. On the other hand, you’ll sometimes find a community pet, a gentle dog or cat that roams and belongs to everyone.
“Good fences make good neighbors”*
A better Life Plan community for all is easier when rules and restrictions are known and respected. By familiarizing yourself with your community’s guidelines, you can more freely pursue your reasonably orderly, reliably rewarding, contentment-ensuring lifestyle.