Photo Gallery: Everyday Life at a Senior Community

What a gallery can tell you

The archived version of this page offered a photo gallery and a virtual tour of the Attleboro Community in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. The idea was to give prospective residents and families a glimpse of daily life: how people live, the amenities available and the medical services provided. This site does not republish those photographs, but it can explain what such a gallery usually shows and how to read it.

Things to look for in community photos

• Living spaces. Look at the size of apartments, the layout of rooms, safety features such as grab bars and the quality of natural light.
• Common areas. Lounges, dining rooms, libraries and fitness rooms show how residents spend their time.
• Activities. Pictures of events, classes and outings hint at how lively the calendar really is.
• Outdoor space. Courtyards, patios and gardens matter for wellbeing, particularly for memory care residents who need safe places to walk.
• Care settings. Therapy rooms and nursing areas show the equipment and layout used for rehabilitation.

Photos are only a starting point. A virtual tour followed by an in-person visit gives the fullest picture, and the guide to choosing a community has questions to bring along. To learn more about the campus levels, read living environments.

A virtual tour as a first step

Virtual tours are useful when travelling to see a community is difficult, for example when family members live in different states. They let several relatives view the same spaces together and discuss what matters to them before choosing a few places to see in person. Take notes on room sizes, shared spaces and anything that seems to be missing, and compare those notes across communities rather than relying on memory.