Brookdale Wekiwa Springs

Three levels of care, from independent living to assisted living and memory care, are offered at Brookdale Wekiwa Springs, 203 South Wekiwa Springs Road in Apopka, Florida, a community operated by Brookdale Senior Living. Having all three levels in one building means a resident can move to more support later without changing communities. Independent living suits residents who manage their own day, assisted living adds help with daily routines, and memory care serves residents living with Alzheimer's disease or another dementia.

Independent living residents choose an apartment that fits their own style and hand off home upkeep such as maintenance and yard work to the community. Daily programming includes yoga, walking groups, creative classes and games, organized loosely under Brookdale's Optimum Life approach, which is built around what each resident enjoys rather than a fixed schedule.

Through Personal Solutions, residents or families can order everyday items such as toothpaste and soap for delivery, billed to the monthly account instead of a store trip. Residents enrolled in Brookdale HealthPlus also get access to an RN Care Manager who helps coordinate care plans and follow-up appointments with outside providers. Compare this option with other senior living communities in Apopka.

Because three levels of care are offered here, a useful question on a tour is how a move from one level to another works in practice, whether it means a change of apartment, and how often a resident's care plan is reviewed as needs change.