Signage (Senior Living)

There are many different types of signage in a senior living community. Some signs are the same as you would see on most real estate developments, but some are unique to senior living. Below are some things to keep in mind as you plan your signage package.

Monument Sign

You are going to want a large monument sign on the street with the heaviest vehicle traffic to advertise that your building is a senior living community. Engage a local signage company that can do all of the local signage code/ordinance research to see what types and sizes of sign you can get permitted.

When you plan for and design your monument sign, you have to decide how it will be illuminated at night. You can go with traditional and simple up-lighting, where lights are installed in the landscaping in front of the monument sign, and lights shine up on the lettering of the sign. Or you can go with sign letters or full panels that are back-lit.

Typically you have the architect design your signage base, and your local signage contractor will just install letter, logos, panels or interior illuminated boxes on that base. The architect will also need to coordinate with your structural engineer for the foundation of the sign base, and with the electrical engineer to run power to the sign for illumination.

Example of monument sign near public road for visibility.

Directional/Wayfinding Signs

If you have a large campus and offer different levels of care (e.g., IL, AL and MC), you will likely need to install directional signs, directing people where to go.

Miscellaneous Signs

Below are some mics. exterior and interior signs you want to ensure you consider for your development.

Misc Exterior Signs

Dog Park Rules
Grill Area Rules
Swimming Pool Hours & Rules
Dumpster Rules
Visitor Parking
Future Resident Parking

Misc Interior Signs

Laundry Room Rules
Fitness Center Rules
Mail Room
Resident Unit Signs
Theater
Physical Therapy
Salon/Barber Shop
Café
Arts & Crafts

After your signage vendor comes up with a preliminary design for these signs, have your interior designer review how the signs will look to ensure they will go with the look and feel of the interior design of the building. Here is a link to an example signage package for a senior living community.

Branding and Logo Development

You will most likely want to establish a branding plan for your community. Many times, that includes the development of a community logo. Obviously, you should try to incorporate this logo into your signage as appropriate. Also, as part of your branding plan, you may want to name the different rooms with a marketing name. For instance, instead of calling your salon a “Salon,” you may want to call it “Indulge.” You may also want to give your different dinning venues different names. Be sure to share all of this with your signage vendor so that he can get it incorporated into fabrication.

Code and Licensing Compliant Signs

The city and state licensing agency will require some signage - like fire evacuation routes. This signage requirement is common to all real estate developments, but make sure these code required signs match with the rest of the color scheme and branding of all your other signs.

A nuanced detail with interior signage room numbering/naming is that you have to make sure that whatever signage room number/name is outside of a room, it has to match what is listed on the fire alarm control panel. If the sign outside of the room says “Arts & Crafts” but the fire alarm control panel lists that room as Room 107, the fire marshal may flag that as a problem during his inspection. This could delay your certificate of occupancy. With the sheer quantity of rooms that a large senior living community has (which includes resident units) be sure to pay attention to this. Larger communities can have upwards of 300 rooms. And trying to fix the numbering/naming on even only a fraction of that many rooms is not a problem you want to deal with while trying to pass your fire marshal inspection. Plan to get it right ahead of time.

Temporary Signs

In some municipalities, you can get a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy with just temporary paper signs. If your permanent Certificate of Occupancy is being held up because the final signs are not installed yet, and you can get residents moved in with a TCO, put up the paper signs.

Back of House Signs

All signage that is front of house and visible to the public should be fabricated by the signage vendor. For the back of house signs, you can just install cheap off the shelf signs to save a little money.

Different Vendors for Exterior and Interior Signage

Usually exterior signage vendors focus on exterior signage, and interior signage vendors focus on interior signage, so you will have to work with two separate vendors for all of the signage on campus.

Marketing Signage During Construction

You want to give potential residents early information on the senior living facility you are building, and direct them to a website and phone number. Be sure to plan and budget for this marketing signage during construction. This could be a 4' x 8' sign posted on a portion of the property that passers by can see. Or you can put a fence wrap on the GC's construction fence.

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