Retirement homes with virtual tours
Many communities are thriving
Retirement homes are responding to social isolation measures by offering virtual meetings with people. Take a tour of a community from the comfort of your home using Skype, WhatsApp, Zoom or Google Meet. Representatives will walk you through the community and answer all your questions. Below the listings, find more about virtual tour technology and how retirement homes are responding and thriving in the new reality. Read more
Retirement homes with virtual tours
What’s a virtual tour and how do I set one up?
A virtual tour or virtual meeting is simply a call that uses a laptop, computer or phone. In the virtual tour or meeting, you can use one of many platforms. A few are discussed below, each with video capabilities, and some having the ability to share screens and more. The community representative may be able to walk you through the retirement home, show you available suites, and features such as the dining room, recreational facilities, and more. In the very least, they will be able to answer all your questions.
Setting up a meeting is easy. You simply reach out to the community by clicking on the banner on their ComfortLife.ca profile linked to above. A community representative will reach out to you (by phone or email) and explain exactly what they will show you in a virtual meeting, and you will discuss and agree on which platform to use.
In the virtual meeting, you will use one of several different free online platforms. to meet online with the community representative and review the community. Here is a brief glance at some of the most popular platforms, so you can review them and decide which you prefer. These don’t require you to be tech-savvy, though you will need to have high speed internet.
- Skype is one of the most popular platforms. Its free version has been available since 2003.
- Zoom offers a user-friendly, easy-to-use online platform that you easily download to your computer. If you and the community representative choose to use this platform, they will set up a meeting and send you a one-click link that will create your meeting.
- Google Meet is an online platform accessible to anyone with a Google account.
- WhatsApp is created mainly for mobile phones. It allows you to text or call for free.
How retirement homes continue to thrive
No one’s living a “normal” lifestyle right now. Many retirement home seniors have responded very proactively to first news of the outbreak. Here is a brief glance at how they have mobilized, and how communities’ staff and seniors are making the best of the situation:
Our look at senior living in the COVID-19 quarantine offers glimpses into communities across the country, with many different examples of how seniors and staff are adapting to social distancing. Many seniors have easily adapted to skyping, zooming and otherwise connecting virtually with family members. They are still celebrating birthdays and major milestones in their lives. They are still getting together with family and friends outdoors.
Our look at how retirement homes protect seniors shows how retirement homes have responded proactively to the new reality, often going above and beyond directives from the government. Their first priority has always been the protection of seniors.
Many people find keeping social distance a challenge, and seniors are of course no exception. Many move into independent living precisely because they love to be around people and love the idea of living in a social community where everyone is friends. This era is a challenge for all of us, and it’s one that the great majority of retirement homes in Canada have risen to meet.
