Excerpt
Try before you buy
Attend the open house. Meet the people. Eat the food. Some places even allow an overnight stay or a trial period.
Les Pauls of Evanston, Ill., started looking for communities with his sister and brother-in-law two years ago at age 83. They went to six places, and he moved into one for a while. But he didn’t like it and moved back into his co-op apartment. Now Pauls is set to move into Mather Place of Wilmette, an independent living community, in May.
For the former auto finance professional, the nature of the financial contract and the quality of life offered were paramount. Pauls wanted a place that did not require a hefty deposit. He also wanted to stay near his hometown and enjoy the things he was used to: his preferred cable TV channels, exercising, good food and a daily glass of wine.