The Value of Open-Ended Questions During a Tour
Asking open-ended questions that engage conversation and build relationships are crucial when meeting potential new residents and their families. Not only will you learn more about what kind of community they are searching for, you will make them feel valued and listened to – making them more likely to choose your community to call home.
Learn more about the importance of open-ended questions in creating a warm and welcoming senior living environment.
A Simple Way to Make a Huge Impact on Potential New Residents
The search for senior living for a loved one can be stressful and tumultuous. Creating a calm and welcoming environment for potential residents and their families is important and can lead a family to call your community home, if done correctly.
It is said that people often will forget what you say but they will never forget how you made them feel. Potential residents and their families may not remember all of your services and amenities, but they will remember how they felt during their time with you. Did they feel hurried and unheard? Or, did they feel like they were beginning to develop a relationship with you and your community, one where they are cared for and their concerns were heard clearly?
One way to ensure potential residents and their families are heard and listened to is to ask open-ended questions. Open-ended questions spark conversation by requiring the respondent to answer more than just “yes” or “no”. The answer to an open-ended question can help you learn more about what is important to a particular family in their search for senior care while also making the family feel valued.
Questions that Stimulate Conversation 
These questions can serve as an ice-breaker, allowing you to quickly learn what each touring family considers important while also creating an environment that encourages relationships.
- Tell me about other communities you have visited. What did you like (or not like) about them?
- Has your loved ever visited a community? What did she like about it?
- What is your loved ones daily routine?
- Does he or she enjoy getting out of the house?
- What happened recently that made you decide to take this tour?
- How are you doing through this?
- How is the rest of the family doing with this?
- How familiar are you with senior living communities?
- Do you have any other family members living in a senior community?
- What is the most important thing to you in a senior living community?
Asking open-ended questions like these can help each family feel valued before your tour even begins. Their answers can help you frame the tour and make it more personalized. Spend some times before each tour to create your own list of questions that show families how thoughtful and  caring your community really is.