Six Things to Look For When Choosing a Skilled Nursing Facility

1. Community Reputation … How long has the facility been in the community? What do people say about it?


2. Survey License … Examine the facility’s license and certification survey. Examine the facility’s record of deficiencies and discuss them with the management.


3. Talk to Staff … Are staff members friendly and willing to answer your questions? Do they know and interact with the residents?


4. Atmosphere … Does the facility appear to be clean and friendly?


5. Food … Examine the menus and visit during a mealtime. Does the food meet your requirements?


6. Talk to residents … Are current residents satisfied with the facility? What do they like and dislike?

Keeper of the Garden

Physical appearance is one of the first things prospective residents notice in a retirement community and Sun Valley Lodge is especially renowned for its colorful and peaceful rose garden. Keeping our garden beautiful all year long is no easy task and Sun Valley Lodge is extremely pleased to have David Young as our Lead Landscaper. David is originally from Mansfield, Ohio and came to Arizona in 1985. He and his wife Lynda are Sun City residents.

David has an extensive – and highly acclaimed – background in grounds keeping that includes work for Deer Valley High School and the Sun City Recreation Center. His athletic fields at DVHS ranked second only to Flagstaff as the top in Arizona and his Rec Center lawn bowling greens achieved a lofty second best in the world status, losing only to a facility in Australia.

He is now turning his attention to shoring up our lawns and taking care of the rose garden. He will also be helping manage our renovation project this fall. In order to keep residents up to date with grounds keeping activities, David will be writing a periodic column in the Chit Chat, our residents’ newsletter, commenting on his activities. He invites questions and comments from residents and is happy to show off his work to those in the community. Please feel free to call us at 623-933-5846 and schedule a visit.

9 Ways to Evaluate Atmosphere at an Assisted Living Residence

1. Do you like the location and outward appearance?
2. Is the décor attractive and homelike?
3. Did you receive a warm welcome from the staff when you toured?
4. Did the staff call the residents by name and interact with them as you toured?
5. Do residents socialize with one another and appear comfortable and happy?
6. Are you able to talk with residents about their feelings for the housing and staff?
7. Are the staff members outgoing and personable?
8. Do staff members treat each other in a professional manner?
9. Are visits welcome at any time?