September 11, 2023

The Faces You May Meet on a Brookdale Tour

About Brookdale Senior Living

Brookdale Senior Living offers multiple care levels for seniors in more than 600 communities nationwide. Brookdale helps you find the right care plan for yourself or your loved one. With amenities such as transportation services, salons and private dining rooms and activities such as gardening, fitness classes and trivia nights Brookdale caters to a wide range of interests and needs.

a brookdale dining services associate talking to residents

When you come to visit a Brookdale community, you’ll get more than just a tour of apartments and shared spaces. You’ll also have the chance to talk with a variety of people in the community, from associates to residents. Here are a few of the people you may meet and the best questions to ask each one to make sure you find the right fit.

The Executive Director (ED) is the leader of the community. At Brookdale, the ED oversees all day-to-day operations, monitoring and supporting associates in their purpose to provide high-quality experiences and services to residents. You can ask the Executive Director overarching questions such as:

What drew you to senior living?
How long have you worked here and where did you work before this?
How do you handle feedback from families?
How do you resolve concerns in the community? How quickly are they typically resolved?

The Dining Team is responsible for keeping residents and their appetites satisfied with nutritious meals, and experiences that support the social aspect of food and traditions. They provide a variety of menu options based on seasonality and resident preferences; they help to maintain a warm, welcoming dining atmosphere and experience for residents, family members and guests. You can ask members of the Dining Team questions such as:

Do you take resident requests?
What is your specialty here at the community? Do the residents have a favorite meal?
How much variety is in the menus?
What kind of food experiences can my mom expect?

The Health and Wellness Director is typically a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or a registered nurse (RN) who leads and manages the overall operations of the clinical care team. This person oversees the health of all residents and oversees and helps provide quality care and services. The Health and Wellness Director is also responsible for proactively building relationships with residents’ families, physicians and other healthcare providers for the coordination of personalized care. When you meet the Health and Wellness Director, you may want to ask the following questions:

How often does clinical staff receive training?
What happens during the pre-admission resident health screening?
How will you work with my doctors?

Caregivers provide direct care to residents, often helping them during their most vulnerable moments. They treat each senior with respect and dignity, and encourage residents to socialize by initiating and encouraging participation in resident activities. Here are few things you might ask a Caregiver:

Why do you do this kind of work? What drew you here?
Tell me about one of your favorite residents.
How do you approach helping a resident feel more comfortable when you’re helping them with their activities of daily life?

The Maintenance Team is responsible for keeping the community buildings and grounds — resident units and public areas, interiors and exteriors — in top-notch condition for the safety and satisfaction of our residents and associates, in accordance with current federal, state and local regulations and company policies. When you encounter Maintenance Team staff, you may want to ask these questions:

If I need help with maintenance, can I get it?
What type of requests are typical?
How long does it usually take for maintenance requests to be resolved?

The Resident Engagement Coordinator helps residents build meaningful friendships with like-minded individuals, and discover (or rediscover) people and activities that will help chart a path of purpose and meaning. He or she is responsible for cultivating a “Friendship First, Programs Second” philosophy, with a focus on common interests and complementary personalities. This person also oversees engagement opportunities, which include resident-driven small groups and clubs, external community partnerships, self-directed hobbies and interests, and associate-led large groups that include a monthly calendar of social gatherings and community events. When you meet the Resident Engagement Coordinator, you might want to ask the following questions:

How do you facilitate resident friendships and encourage socialization?
What kinds of activities and events do you offer?
I have a favorite hobby. How can I enjoy that here?
How can you help my dad make new friends?

Current Residents are the best source of firsthand information, and they are often excited to talk to potential new neighbors! When you meet Current Residents, be sure to ask them questions about their Brookdale experience, such as: