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How to Choose a Senior Living Community: Factors to Consider

Twos senior men walking across a bridge

Before you ever unpack a box or schedule a tour, there’s often a moment when a place simply feels right.

Maybe it’s the way a courtyard catches the light in late afternoon. Or the quiet of a well-appointed lounge just steps from a lively social calendar. Perhaps it’s not a feature at all, but a feeling that your needs and preferences were thoughtfully considered from the start.

The strongest senior living communities strike a balance between ease and intention. They make everyday living simpler while making life feel expansive, and they’re designed with both the present and future in mind.
This guide explores the factors that can help you recognize the right fit.

Care Options: Matching Your Needs to the Right Level of Support

The most reassuring part of moving to a Life Care community is what’s thoughtfully in place for tomorrow. Support should evolve alongside you, enhancing what’s working.

At The Waterford, you’ll find several levels of living seamlessly integrated into the community. That means you can continue living here comfortably, with care evolving to meet your needs, in the setting you already know and love.

Design element
Rehabilitation Services

Following a health event or planned procedure, The Waterford offers personalized rehabilitation designed to restore function and get you back to what you love. Therapists work one-on-one with you to build strength, mobility, and confidence—right on-site.

Skilled Nursing Services

Skilled nursing at The Waterford combines attentive clinical care with a setting that feels composed and comfortable. Residents receive expert, around-the-clock support in a space that reflects the same standards of warmth and hospitality found throughout the community.

A photo of the outside of senior resident apartments

Location: A Setting You’ll Want to Embrace

Where you live influences everything from how often you see family to how easily you spend time outside.

A well-considered location makes everyday life flow seamlessly and gives you more opportunities to enjoy what matters to you.

Residential areas with strong civic identity, nearby shops, and walkable spaces often feel settled and welcoming from the start.

When travel is simple, visits happen more often, whether it’s a planned gathering or an impromptu afternoon together.

Beaches, parks, and trails encourage time spent in fresh air, with room to walk, meet others, or spend quiet time alone.

Choosing a location where resources go further helps support long-term planning and day-to-day flexibility.

Consider what’s nearby—local music, art spaces, educational talks, outdoor events, or the chance to enjoy time by the water.

At The Waterford, location becomes a lifestyle asset. Situated in Juno Beach, Florida, just minutes from the ocean, the community is surrounded by coastal nature preserves, championship golf, and miles of walking and biking trails. Local shops and restaurants offer familiar haunts, while nearby family-friendly attractions mean visits from children and grandchildren are always easy to plan. And with mild winters and year-round sunshine, outdoor living is always possible.

The pool and lounge area
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Community: Finding Your People

Feeling like you belong goes beyond shared walls—it’s about shared experience.

The Waterford fosters that feeling through natural introductions, engaging programs, and a setting that encourages connection.

Here, residents are active, social, and open to building new traditions. You’ll find artists and entrepreneurs, mentors and lifelong learners. But what they all share is a sense of curiosity and a desire to spend this next phase meaningfully, not passively.

Whether you’re seeking casual conversation or deeper camaraderie, there’s space for both. The result is a community that feels genuine and never manufactured.

Meet the people who make The Waterford unique

Lifestyle: Amenities That Inspire

The right community brings structure to your day and possibility to your life. At The Waterford, your schedule is shaped by preference, not programming.

You might begin your morning with a Pilates class or a walk along the breezy grounds. Midday might include a salon appointment, an author talk, or time spent reading in one of the quiet spaces tucked around the community. Evenings might mean cocktails with neighbors, a chef-prepared dinner, or a concert in the performing arts center.

Amenities are refined and well-appointed—designed to enhance your experience, seamlessly complementing your lifestyle. Whether you’re looking for stimulation or restoration, you’ll find what fits.

Explore the lifestyle options at The Waterford

A group of seniors playing scrabble and laughing
A senior woman smiling with a magazine in her hand talking to a senior woman

Tour: Firsthand Experiences for Confident Decisions

Touring a community is your opportunity to understand how life feels within those walls. Does it move at your pace? Does it feel intuitive and considered? Can you picture yourself there?

At The Waterford, we invite you to take the time you need. Visit a residence. Share a meal. Talk with current residents. Ask the questions that matter to you.

When you're ready, continue to Step 3: Understanding Levels of Care at The Waterford.