How to read a retirement community website for seniors

 Many seniors do not know how to read a retirement community website.  So I put together this  guide I hope will be helpful. 

The Home Page

This is the most important page for seniors.  Begin on the home page of the website.  Usually you will find all the information you need on the home page.  If you don't know if you are on the home page click on the Logo and it will take you there.  This is my logo.  It is in the upper left hand corner of every page on my website.  You can click on it and it goes to the home page.

Click on the logo or name of the community (usually found in the upper left hand corner of the page — try that just take your mouse and  arrow and go up to the logo usually in the upper left corner and click.  If you are not currently on the home page and want to go there doing that will take you there.  If it didn’t then the website owner did not set it up to do it.   

Read the home page slowly and carefully.  It may have all the information you were looking for.  Some websites don’t have all the information on the home page.  You have to click on a link to find out more.  As stated above, seniors may have the most trouble with clicking on links.  Many fear they don't know how to get back to the home page or just the act of clicking can be distracting.  

Seniors with Early Dementia may not be able to learn the computer

Note:  If you are the adult child of a senior or a friend, don't be alarmed or impatient with a senior who can't quite get the hang of using the computer.  Many older seniors may be starting to have dementia or are advanced.  They may not have the ability to learn anymore or they may have anxiety.  Sometimes, this is the first sign that a senior may have dementia.  It is not often easy to tell if a person has dementia when it is very early.  One must have compassion toward the senior in this case and seek your doctor to explore if there is dementia or some other medical reason the senior has trouble.

Links

It is said a web page has 3 sections:  The top, middle and bottom.  Inside those parts are things to click on.  You can tell if it is something to click on because it is underlined or a different color.   I have observed that seniors have the most trouble with the links to other pages of a website.  One does not know where to click or to click once or twice.  If it doesn’t work for one click, try twice.  This is an example of links that are underlined (the colored one is a link someone has clicked on and it changed color to show that):

Navigating the Website

Navigate the website with the Table of Contents or Menu. It can be found either at the top going horizontally across the top of the page or on either the right or left sides of the page listed vertically.   

Here is the navigation on my website which is on the left side and is vertical going down the page.

Here is an example of  navigation going across the top of the page horizontally.  Many newer websites have preferred this style of menu.

The hamburger menu may not be used very often on a retirement community website because seniors find them confusing or don't know what they are for.  Perhaps you have seen them.  They are 3 short lines stacked on each other and usually located in the top right or left corners of the web page.  When you click on them they show a drop-down menu where you can select an item by clicking on it. 

I suggest you have a notepad and pen by your side as you read the homepage and take notes.  You will not remember the information if you don't take notes because usually you will be looking at more than one community.  Get your notepad and pen out!

Notes taken while reading the homepage of a website:

This is what I had in my notes while reading the homepage of a retirement community website (note that it is a lot of information gained just from the home page--not all home pages will be this informative and you will have to click on links from the top or side menu.):

Name

Modern Design

Energy Efficient

55 and older (must have words like this or a version like senior community)

Affordable

Income restricted

Bus service at the doorstep (how far to walk)

Near Florida turnpike (how far)

Convenient to shopping (how close)

1 or 2 bedrooms

Meals?

Parking?  (Outside only?)

1 bedroom $965-$1015/month

Pay water and garbage and all activities and maintenance

Premium unit with w/d higher rent?  (Are machines included)

Floorplans and income level

Is there a waitlist?  No mention of wait list.

Menu is on home page.

Summary:  At the top of the page you will find:

• Name of website
• Logo

• Menu (Table of Contents)

Middle of Page of website

In the middle of page is all your content.  Here you’ll find text, images, videos, charts and everything that makes up the content.   Read this slowly and carefully.  It may have all the information you were looking for. 

Some websites don’t have all the information on the home page.  You have to click on a link on the website or menu to find out more.  As stated above, seniors may have the most trouble with this.

Bottom of Page also called a Footer

The bottom of the page is the Footer.  Here you will find the name, address, phone number, and miscellaneous items such as the website Privacy Policy.  Sometimes there will be links to other things the website wants you to know about such as other communities.

The footer also has the copyright information.  This should be the current year.  It looks like this: 

 © 2006-2023 All rights reserved.

Summary:  The most important parts of a retirement community or 55+ website are: 

• The Home page
• The Table of Contents  
• Links to other pages

Thanks for reading and let me know if you have questions.  You can find me at Bestguide-RetirementCommunities.com.